Release of abducted UNAMID members was coordinated with UN and AU – Sudan
December 15, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan said that it had coordinated the release of the two civilian staff members of Darfur peace operation with the hybrid mission, UN headquarters in New York and the African Union in Addis Ababa.
In a statement put out on Tuesday, the Sudanese foreign ministry said it had formed a high level committee from the concerned services to follow up the issue and to end the abduction of the two hostages.
At the time Sudan announced the formation of a task force involving the foreign ministry, the army, the security and intelligence apparatus, and concerned local authorities in West Darfur state.
As the use of force and the payment of ransom had been excluded, the committee chose to negotiate with the kidnappers in agreement with the United Nations and the African Union, to ensure the safe release of the hostage, without responding to the conditions of the kidnappers to pay the ransom, the ministry further said.
The kidnappers requested one million Sudanese pounds, about 500,000 USD, according to reports published in Khartoum. UNAMID spokesperson, Noureddine Mezni said the kidnapper had contacted the peacekeeping mission and asked for ransom but he declined to identify them or to give further details.
The foreign ministry reiterated in its statement Sudan’s commitment to fully protect the members of the mission in accordance with the signed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
The statement also praised the role played by the traditional leaders and local authorities in West Darfur state to ensure the freedom of the two hostages.
The two civilian personnel had been abducted in Zalingei, 100 klm southeast of El-Geneina the capital of West Darfur state, and the two staff members, one woman and one man, had been taken at gunpoint by four or five gunmen from their residence to an unknown destination,.on August 29.
(ST)