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Sudan kidnappers free aid workers Darfur aid hostages 'not freed'
(about 23 hours later)
Three foreign aid workers kidnapped in Sudan's troubled region of Darfur have been released, aid officials say. Three aid workers held hostage in the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur for the past two days will shortly be freed, officials in Khartoum say.
The three - a Canadian nurse, an Italian doctor, and a French co-ordinator - work for the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. Earlier Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said their three staff, abducted on Wednesday, had already been released.
They were seized on Wednesday. MSF says no ransom was paid for their release. But it later emerged the trio, a French administrator, a Canadian nurse and an Italian doctor, were still being held.
The abductions followed Sudan's expulsion of 13 aid groups after President Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court. On Thursday, MSF moved its humanitarian teams out of Darfur, to the capital of Sudan, Khartoum.
An MSF official said he had been told the three workers were on their way to the northern Darfur town of El Fasher. "They are still not released," Ali Youssef Ahmed, head of protocol at Sudan's foreign ministry told Reuters news agency.
Susan Sandars, an MSF spokeswoman in Kenya, said she had received confirmation of the release from the Sudanese government, AFP news agency reported. "The government is making its utmost efforts and is coordinating with the concerned authorities," Mr Ahmed said.
Two Sudanese employees of MSF who were also abducted were freed earlier. "I can assure you that they are well, everybody is safe and sound. We're expecting their release in the next few hours."
Catholic missionary news agency Misna has named the three foreign staff as Laura Archer, Mauro D'Ascanio and Raphael Meonier. Sudan expelled more than a dozen aid groups after an international indictment was issued this month against President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Khartoum has accused the groups of spying - a charge they strongly deny.
But the Sudanese authorities say the gang responsible for these abductions are bandits seeking a cash ransom.
The three have been named as Laura Archer, Mauro D'Ascanio and Raphael Meonier.
They were taken at gunpoint on Wednesday evening from their office at Saraf Umra, an area under government control some 230km (143 miles) west of El Fasher.
Two Sudanese employees of MSF who were also abducted were later freed.
They work for MSF's Belgian branch, which is not among those aid agencies expelled by the government.They work for MSF's Belgian branch, which is not among those aid agencies expelled by the government.
'Lives at risk'
On Thursday, MSF - whose Dutch and French chapters were among the 13 groups ordered out of Darfur - moved its remaining staff to the capital, Khartoum.
The aid workers were taken at gunpoint from their office at Saraf Umra, some 230km (143 miles) west of El Fasher.
MSF had run the only health clinic for the Saraf Umra area's 60,000 residents.MSF had run the only health clinic for the Saraf Umra area's 60,000 residents.
The kidnappers' identities were not immediately clear but North Darfur's governor has described them as bandits looking for a cash ransom.
Although banditry is common in parts of the region, this is thought to be the first kidnapping of Western aid workers since two Britons were briefly detained by Darfur rebels in 2005.Although banditry is common in parts of the region, this is thought to be the first kidnapping of Western aid workers since two Britons were briefly detained by Darfur rebels in 2005.
The UN has said President Bashir's decision to order out the 13 aid groups has placed more than one million lives at risk. The UN has said Sudan's decision to order out the aid groups has placed more than one million lives at risk.
He is accused by the ICC at The Hague of seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's Darfur region - in the court's first warrant against a sitting president.
A group of church leaders in Sudan has criticised the ICC's move.
In a joint statement, the 13 church leaders said the court case would have a negative effect on the country and urged the government to find quick alternatives for the expelled aid missions.
The UN estimates that 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million been displaced since black African rebels took up arms in 2003 against the Arab-dominated regime demanding a greater share of resources and power.The UN estimates that 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million been displaced since black African rebels took up arms in 2003 against the Arab-dominated regime demanding a greater share of resources and power.