The hardline Hutu rebel group still refusing to take part in face-to-face peace talks with Burundi's Government appears to have changed its mind.

The external representative of the National Liberation Forces, Alain Mugabarabona, told the BBC he was reversing the FNL decision to boycott ceasefire talks that are currently being organised in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

He also announced he had taken over as president of the organisation from existing president, Rwasa Agathon.

In June there was an attempt on the life of Mr Agathon, during which a number of FNL members were killed.

The FNL are now expected to participate in the talks which are being organised later this month in an attempt to end the country's nine-year civil war.

Much confusion has surrounded the exact start of talks and it remains unclear when the FNL will participate.

Talks

The FNL is one of two ethnic Hutu rebel groups which refused to lay down their weapons when a power-sharing government was inaugurated in Burundi in 2001.

Burundi conflict

War began: 1993 200,000 killed Hutus: 85% Tutsis:14% Twa: 1% Tutsis have dominated since independence

But the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) agreed to participate in the talks in Tanzania and at the weekend, a leader, Pierre Nukurunziza, called for a ceasefire.

A delegation from the Burundi Government has already arrived in Tanzania.

South African Vice-President Jacob Zuma, who is brokering the talks, is confident that everything is moving in the right direction.

But Tanzania appears to be identifying closely with FDD officials, who are already at the talks venue, Tanzania's White Sands beach resort.

Tanzania is home to hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees, some of whom use their camps from which to attack Burundi.

A transitional government was sworn in last year to allow Burundi's majority Hutu to share power with the Tutsi minority.

Despite being in the minority, the Tutsis have dominated politics and the army since independence.

Under the power-sharing agreement, President Pierre Buyoya is due to step down and be replaced by Hutu Vice-President Domicien Ndayizeye in April next year.