10 November 2004	Wednesday	26 Ramazan 1425

ABUJA, Nov 9: Sudan bowed to international pressure on Tuesday for a ban on military flights over the Darfur region, where 1.5 million have been forced from their homes, and signed two landmark peace deals with rebels.

After two weeks of talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the government dropped its opposition to the no-fly zone and signed agreements with rebels covering security and humanitarian access to Darfur, scene of what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"The documents have been signed," an African Union mediator said.

The government climb-down comes 10 days before a United Nations Security Council meeting at which Sudan could have seen sanctions imposed on its oil industry because of the lack of progress in the talks and a deteriorating security situation on the ground in Darfur.

Tens of thousands have died and some 1.5 million civilians have been forced from their homes in Darfur, creating what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The humanitarian protocol specifies that aid workers should be given free access to the vast desert region.-Reuters