LAGOS, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo,also the chairman of the African Union, on Saturday arrived in Khartoum in a bid to push for a speedy end to the crisis in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, the official News Agency of Nigeria reported.

    This is the second time in less than three months that Obasanjovisited the African country, the report said, adding that the president might proceed from Khartoum to Darfur for an on-the-spotassessment of the situation.

    During his first round of talks with his host President Omar El-Bashir of Sudan in Khartoum, Obasanjo said it was most important for Africa to resolve all its conflicts peacefully.

    "Africa should look inward to find solutions to all its problems. It is important to achieve peace and end the loss of lives and unnecessary sufferings of our peoples," he said.

    He stressed the need for all rebel groups in the Darfur conflict to cooperate with the African Union and other interest groups to end the crisis.

    But the peace talks, which has been going on since last September in the Nigerian capital Abuja and is being attended by two major rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Army, is yet to reach a final and acceptable resolution.

    Darfur has been embroiled in fighting since February 2003 when the rebel groups took up arms against Khartoum, accusing the authorities of not protecting them from the attacks of the Arab militia called Janjaweed and demanding autonomy.

    The conflict has so far caused thousands deaths and sent one million others fleeing to neighboring Chad or internally displaced.Enditem