Burundi's government and the country's last active rebel group have signed a ceasefire that has committed the sides to engage in serious discussions aimed at ending hostilities and to reach a comprehensive ceasefire within the period of two weeks. The truce follows nearly three weeks of talks mediated by South Africa involving the last of seven Hutu groups still outside a power-sharing agreement from 2000. Achievement of a settlement would finally heal the remnants of a civil war started in 1993 in which 300,000 people died.