Sudan says 14 Chinese workers freed in South Kordofan

January 29, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of South Kordofan Ahmed Haroun announced that 14 out of the 29 Chinese workers kidnapped by rebels from the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) on Saturday have been freed following an operation conducted by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).

Earlier today, the SPLM-N announced that it took the construction workers into custody during the attack they launched on a Sudanese military convoy between the towns of Rashad and Al-Abbasiya .

SAF military spokesperson al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad said that there is a total of 70 workers captured.

“Yes, we have captured them,” SPLM-N spokesman Arnu Ngutulu Lodi told Agence France Presse (AFP). “I want to assure you right now they are in safe hands.” None of the Chinese workers were wounded, he said.

Nine SAF soldiers are also in SPLM-N hands, Lodi said.

Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. was reportedly working in the construction of the roads between the towns of Al-Abbasiya and Rashad near al- Magrah area.

Sudan’s army said it is pursuing the rebels with the goal of releasing the workers.

The Chinese foreign ministry urged Khartoum to take measures to rescue the workers and ensure the safety of all Chinese citizens in the country.

“The Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy to Sudan have initiated an emergency response to the incident,” Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said, according to Xinhua.

“Currently the Sudanese government is doing their utmost to locate and rescue the missing Chinese nationals and has increased protection for other Chinese nationals in Sudan,” Weimin added.

South Kordofan’s governor said the 14 workers were relocated to North Kordofan’s capital town of Al-Obayid adding that they are in good health. He said that work is underway to release the remaining workers.

Haroun further said that the town of Al-Abbasiya is under full control of SAF and that life there returned to normal.

Sudan’s oil-producing state of South Kordofan, which borders the newly independent state of South Sudan and the war-battered region of Darfur, descended into violence since last June when SAF clashed with SPLM-N led by Abdul Aziz al-Hilu who was Haroun’s deputy.

(ST)