The ongoing peace and reconciliation conference between the Rizeigat and Ma’alia Arab nomadic tribes in El Fula, West Kordofan State is deadlocked.

Rizeigat representatives said on Wednesday that for talks to continue the peace committee must exclude from the conference any members of the Al Maqariba tribe that are representing the Ma’alia.

“If they are not left outside…we will not attend the conference” Mahmoud Saeed of the Rizeigat told the press on Wednesday. 

Saeed said that the Rizeigat requested the committee to arrange a meeting between them and the Ma’alia without the Al Maqariba tribe.

Ma’alia representative Hassan Ahmed rejected the demand, saying the committee must ignore the Rizeigat request for the conference to proceed.

Ahmed said the Al Maqariba are an integral part of the Ma’alia.