U.N. Chief Urges Mali Rebel Groups to Sign Peace Deal

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Mali's Tuareg rebel groups to sign a peace deal agreed nearly a week ago in Algeria.

The Malian government signed the agreement over the weekend, along with some northern armed groups, but the main Tuareg rebel alliance, known as the Coordination, asked for more time.

Ban encouraged "the Coordination coalition of armed groups to initial the draft agreement," a statement from his spokesman said.

The U.N. Security Council issued the same appeal Wednesday after welcoming the draft accord.

An official signing ceremony is scheduled to be held in Bamako at the end of the month, sealing the deal that provides for greater regional authority for the north in line with longstanding demands.

Islamist militants seized control of northern Mali for more than nine months until a French-led military intervention in 2013 that partly drove them from the region.