Sudanese army receives released war prisoners from rebel sector

Sudanese army on Sunday announced that it has received 107 government soldiers and 18 civilians after they were released by the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector.

Sudanese army spokesman Ahmed Khalifa Al-Shami said in a statement Sunday that the released Prisoners of War (POWs) included three army officers, 104 from other ranks and 18 civilians.

"This work was a fruit of continuing joint effort based on the state's moral responsibility towards its citizens, particularly the prisoners of war who were performing their duty," said Al-Shami.

He expressed the Sudanese armed forces' thanks for the sincere efforts and initiatives which led to the release of the POWs, commending response of the SPLM/northern sector and regarding it as "a positive step that serves the efforts aiming at achieving peace in the country."

He further thanked all the parties which contributed to the release of the POWs via provision of facilitation and logistical services, top of them the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The SPLM/northern sector on Saturday announced that it released government army prisoners of war.

The SPLM/northern sector has been fighting Khartoum's central government at Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas since 2011.

So far ten rounds of peace talks have been held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector, under the patronage of the African Union, but all failed to end the conflict in the two areas. Endit