Sudan’s eastern rebels to release hostages “within next couple of days”

Excerpt from report by Sudanese newspaper Al-Khartoum, BBC Monitoring Middle East.

Sep 1, 2005 (Khartoum) — The leadership of the [opposition] Eastern Front [alliance between the Beja Congress and the Free Lions] has said it will be releasing the three deputies of the Red Sea [State] legislative council, who have been detained by the Front since May last year, within the next couple of days, on the condition that they are reunited with their families through the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Al-Khartoum has learnt that the Front’s leadership took this decision during its meetings in Asmara last week.

One of the Front’s leaders told Al-Khartoum that the decision had been made in response to efforts exerted by eastern leaders and repeated appeals by the Eritrean government and other Sudanese and international parties. [Passage omitted]