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UN chief welcomes release of four Djiboutian prisoners by Eritrea

Xinhua, March 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the release of four Djiboutian prisoners, who had been in jail for eight years, by the Eritrean authorities, said a statement of Ban's spokesman.

Ban commended the efforts of the Qatari mediation in brokering this process and Eritrea for releasing the prisoners, said the statement.

"He hopes this will help address other regional outstanding issues between the Republic of Djibouti and the State of Eritrea and enhance regional peace and security in the Horn of Africa," it said.

According to media reports, the four prisoners were accompanied by Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, aboard a Qatari plane to Djibouti on Friday.

In 2008, a territorial dispute sparked a three-day armed conflict between the Horn of Africa nations. In 2010, Eritrea and Djibouti signed a peace deal in Doha. Endit