Sudan confirms release of abducted aid workers in Darfur

March 14, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government formally confirmed that three kidnapped aid workers were released after conflicting reports on their fate.

On Wednesday a number of unknown gunmen abducted five aid workers form Médecins Sans Frontières – Belgium (MSF) including two Sudanese, a Belgian nurse, Canadian doctor and French coordinator.

The Sudanese workers were released early Thursday but reportedly demanded a ransom for the release of the abducted foreigners.

It was also reported that the kidnappers requested that the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir be scrapped. However Khartoum denied that the abductors made this demand.

The Sudanese Undersecretary for foreign affairs Mutrif Sideeq told the state news agency (SUNA) that the three aid workers arrived in Al-Fasher airport in North Darfur en route to Khartoum.

The state minister for foreign affairs Al-Samani Al-Wasila also said that his government “moved quickly” when the incident took place “through official and popular channels until efforts were successful”

Al-Wasila hailed the role of popular departments “in front of conspiracies that target peace and undermining stability”.

The Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website which has close links to intelligence Bureau said a group called ‘Bashir’s Eagles’ was behind the kidnapping.

The SMC quoted North Darfur governor as saying that ‘Bashir’s Eagles’ motives was to protest the ICC indictment of Sudan president.

Today the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that no ransom was paid to secure the release of the kidnapped, ANSA news agency reported.

Tensions are running high in Sudan following the ICC decision to charge Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture.

Following the decision Sudan expelled more than a dozen aid groups saing they passed info to the ICC.

This week an alliance of Sudanese Islamic jihadists and Darfur Arab militia issued a statement in a pro-government newspaper vowing to carry out 250 attacks against countries that are supporting the decisions of the ICC.

The alliance promised “world imperialists and CIA agents in US, UK and France with another September 11 attack”.

One of the signatories to the statement is the notorious Darfur Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal who was appointed last year as an adviser to the Sudanese government.

(ST)