Darfur kidnappers release two aid workers

April 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – Kidnapped aid workers in Darfur have been released today after more than three weeks of abduction, kidnappers and Sudanese government said today.

French Claire Dubois and Canadian Stephanie Jodoin who work with Aide Médicale Internationale had been seized in Ed El-Fursan in South Darfur by a group called the Falcons for the Liberation of Africa on April 4.

The group said today they released the two aid workers for humanitarian reason. They further indicated they had handed them to the local authorities of Ed El-Fursan.

Also the Sudanese foreign ministry confirmed the release and said the two women are in good health. Ambassador Ali Yousif, told reporters that they informed the French and Canadian governments about their release.

The Sudanese official added that the two hostages are now in Khartoum where they are receiving medical treatment. Dubois has been suffering from diarrhoea.

Neither France nor Canada issued any statement on the release of the hostages. Also AMI didn’t want to confirm the release saying they had no direct contact the two aid workers.

Earlier, kidnappers said that they seized the two aid workers to protest the release of six members of Zoe’s Arc, a French aid group who had plans to bring Darfur Childs to France for adoption. They also asked the French government to retry them for kidnapping Darfur children.

Last week the kidnappers said they were negotiating with Chadian officials who represented the French government and the aid group. But the Chadian government dismissed the statements.

(ST)