By NEWS 6 Wire Services | Filed 2:05 PM, June 27, 2003

International officials met for a second round of talks Friday in an effort to broker a temporary ceasefire along the Ketamba-Bakori border, where fighting has continued for close to three weeks.

Much of the fighting has centered on the Vela Basin, a mineral-rich mining region that supplies a significant share of the cobalt and lithium used in global electronics manufacturing. Each side has accused the other of targeting mining infrastructure in the region.

Diplomats and regional monitors say fighters affiliated with the Meridian Defense Group (MDG), a private military contractor with no declared government affiliation, have been operating alongside Bakori forces since early in the conflict. MDG has not responded to requests for comment, and its financial backers remain undisclosed.

A spokesperson described the talks as "constructive but incomplete," with both sides said to be weighing proposed terms over the weekend.

Humanitarian groups have called for safe corridors to be established regardless of the outcome. A follow-up session is expected early next week, though officials cautioned that no timeline for a resolution has been set.