Sudan government announced Sunday it would extend a unilateral ceasefire in fighting with rebel groups in war zones to six months, state-run news agency SUNA reported.

The move comes after the United States said Friday it would lift a 20-year-old trade embargo against Sudan, but would wait 180 days before doing so to see whether Sudan acts further to improve its human rights record and resolve political and military conflicts, including in war zones.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir asked his government at a special cabinet meeting Sunday to prepare procedures to "accommodate for the positive impact of the United States lifting sanctions," SUNA reported.

Following the sanctions announcement Sudan said Saturday that it would review its monetary and exchange rate policies to attract new foreign investment but did not provide further details.

On 1 January, President Bashir had extended the ceasefire already in place since October last year by just one month.

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