Sudan's government has signed a new ceasefire agreement with a coalition of Darfur rebels, raising the prospect of long-lasting peace in a region torn by civil conflict.

The three-month peace deal with a newly formed umbrella group of 10 movements called the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) marks the government's second ceasefire agreement in the past two months.

Under the deal, which was finalized in the Qatari capital of Doha on Thursday, rebel fighters are offered integration into the Sudanese army. It also paves the way for the return of millions of people displaced by the fighting.

The region's main rebel group, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), also signed a similar deal with Khartoum in February.

However, one major group still remains in open conflict with the government. A faction of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdul Wahid al-Nour has boycotted the peace talks.

The UN says over 300,000 people have lost their lives since the start of the 2003 clashes, while the unrest has uprooted another three million.

Previous efforts to restore peace in the region have usually failed due to the fragmentation of the rebel groups while the warring parties' relations remain mired in distrusts.

Sudan hopes to sign peace deals with all of Darfur's rebel groups before national elections next month.