Tuareg separatists in Northern Mali have agreed to a ceasefire with the government after seizing control of several towns earlier this week, as unrest threatened to plunge the country into all out war.
The rebel groups, thought to be from the Islamist from the MUJAO and Ansar Dine, as well as the separatist National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) agreed to a ceasefire deal with the government after a meeting with members of the African Union.
Last week the groups gained control of several government buildings in the North of the country, with a failed attempt by government soldiers to retake the town of Kidal on Wednesday, resulting in the death of 20 soldiers.
A March 2012 coup led by Tuareg independence fighters was beaten back by a French-led military operation, leading to a ceasefire last June. However unrest between the opposing sides has continued, with the violence this week threatening a broader conflict.