Nairobi/Niamey  - The two largest groups of Tuareg rebels in the African state of Niger have agreed to a ceasefire.

The Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ) and the Niger Patriotic Front (FPN) agreed to ceasefire on Friday following talks with Prime Minister Seyni Oumarou, the BBC reported.

The rebels had been fighting for a greater share of the Saharan country's uranium mining proceeds since 2007.

A third rebel group, the Front of Forces for Rectification (FFR), refused to take part in the talks.(dpa)