Sudan army says it freed seven soldiers and security officers in Blue Nile

February 9, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on Thursday announced that it carried out an operation in the Blue Nile state to free seven soldiers and security officers detained following the outbreak of conflict there last September.

SAF gave no details except to say that the “heroic” mission involved dropping off a rescuing unit in Yabus area which is in the far south of the Blue Nile state.

The released men were working in the town of Kurmuk which used to be the stronghold of the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) before being flushed out by SAF.

Clashes spread to Blue Nile in September after violence broke out in June in the oil-producing state of South Kordofan between the army and SPLM-N.

The fighting has already forced about 417,000 people to flee their homes, more than 80,000 of them to newly independent South Sudan, according to the United Nations.

(ST)