Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday issued a decision pardoning 259 members of rebel movements who were earlier sentenced to death, official SUNA news agency reported.

"The decision came to enhance the spirit of national accord and prepare the climate for achieving sustainable peace in the country," the report said.

Some of the pardoned belong to armed groups that are fighting the government in Sudan's Darfur region, while some belong to the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector.

The SPLM/northern sector on Saturday released around 107 government army prisoners of war.

The SPLM/northern sector has been fighting Khartoum's central government at Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas since 2011.

So far 10 rounds of peace talks have been held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector, under the patronage of the African Union, but all failed to end the conflict in the two areas.

Source: Xinhua