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Aid workers held in Sudan 'free' Aid workers held in Sudan 'free'
(about 2 hours later)
Three aid workers kidnapped in the Darfur region of Sudan are free, Italy's foreign ministry says. Three Medecins Sans Frontieres aid workers kidnapped in the Sudanese region of Darfur have been released, the organisation reports.
The Medecins Sans Frontieres staff were captured on Wednesday. A Sudanese captive was also freed, Italy said. MSF says Sudanese sources told them the three - an Italian doctor, a Canadian nurse, and a French co-ordinator seized on Wednesday - were now free.
Earlier Sudan's government said it knew where the three were, and was holding discussions on their release. Italy's foreign ministry also reported the releases, quoting Sudanese sources.
The snatchings followed Sudan's expulsion of 13 aid groups, after President Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court. An MSF official said he had been told the three workers were on their way to the northern Darfur town of El Fasher.
The kidnapped staff were a Canadian nurse, an Italian doctor and a French co-ordinator. "The kidnappers called us... [the hostages] were released an hour ago," Kostas Moschochoritis, head of MSF Italy, told Reuters news agency, adding that no ransom had been paid.
Catholic missionary news agency MISNA earlier named them as Laura Archer, Mauro D'Ascanio and Raphael Meonier. Susan Sandars, an MSF spokeswoman in Kenya, said she had received confirmation of the release from the Sudanese government, AFP news agency adds.
They are working for MSF's Belgian branch, which was not among those aid agencies kicked out by the government. Reports suggest that at least one Sudanese employee of MSF was also abducted and also released.
The Italian statement announcing the captives' freedom did not give details of how their release came about. The abductions followed Sudan's expulsion of 13 aid groups after President Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court.
The kidnappers' identities were not immediately clear but North Darfur's governor said on Thursday they were bandits looking for a cash ransom. Catholic missionary news agency Misna has named the three foreign staff as Laura Archer, Mauro D'Ascanio and Raphael Meonier.
The aid workers were taken at gunpoint from their office at Saraf Umra, some 230km (143 miles) west of the North Darfur capital El Fasher. They work for MSF's Belgian branch, which is not among those aid agencies kicked out by the government.
'Lives at risk''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.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.
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 President Bashir's decision to order out the 13 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.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.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.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.