Eastern rebels free three Red Sea state deputies after four months

Sept 6, 2005 (Khartoum) — Three Sudanese MPs who were captured in April by eastern rebels were released and arrived safely in Port Sudan on Tuesday, the Red Cross told AFP.

“The plane flying the three deputies has just touched down at Port Sudan airport,” Paul Conneally, spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said.

“The ICRC aircraft brought the MPs from Asmara after they were released and handed over to the ICRC there,” he added.

The three Red Sea state deputies had been abducted on April 26 by eastern rebels from the Beja Congress, an Asmara-backed group that complains of marginalisation and has recently escalated its struggle against the government.

AFP/ST.