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China doubts Sudan workers freed in South Kordofan | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The fate of 29 Chinese construction workers kidnapped in Sudan is unclear after Chinese officials were quoted casting doubts on reports that some had been freed. | |
Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted embassy officials in Khartoum as saying all the workers were still missing. | |
Earlier, Sudan's army said that 14 had been "liberated". | |
The group was seized by rebels in South Kordofan state, near the border with South Sudan on Saturday. | |
A spokesman from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) rebels told the AFP news agency on Sunday that the workers were caught in crossfire with the army. | A spokesman from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) rebels told the AFP news agency on Sunday that the workers were caught in crossfire with the army. |
He said they were captured together with nine Sudanese soldiers after the SPLM-N attacked and destroyed a Sudanese military convoy in the area. | He said they were captured together with nine Sudanese soldiers after the SPLM-N attacked and destroyed a Sudanese military convoy in the area. |
However, Wang Zhiping, a senior executive of the Power Construction Corporation that employed the workers, told Xinhua the rebels had attacked the workers. | |
Sudan's army said the rebels had attacked the compound of the Chinese construction company and captured 70 civilians. | Sudan's army said the rebels had attacked the compound of the Chinese construction company and captured 70 civilians. |
"Most of them are Chinese. They are targeting civilians," army spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad told Reuters news agency. | "Most of them are Chinese. They are targeting civilians," army spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad told Reuters news agency. |
South Kordofan governor Ahmed Mohamed Haroun had said 14 workers had been freed and were in good health. | |
But a later Xinhua report said 29 Chinese nationals remained missing. | |
The report said 17 other Chinese had been rescued from the facility, but it appears they were not among the people who had been captured. | |
South Kordofan is one of three areas hit by conflict since South Sudan became independent from Sudan in July. | South Kordofan is one of three areas hit by conflict since South Sudan became independent from Sudan in July. |
Abyei and Blue Nile along with South Kordofan lie along the loosely demarcated border between Sudan and South Sudan. | Abyei and Blue Nile along with South Kordofan lie along the loosely demarcated border between Sudan and South Sudan. |
China, which is the biggest buyer of oil from Sudan, is a key trading partner of the country. | China, which is the biggest buyer of oil from Sudan, is a key trading partner of the country. |
The SPLM-N fought alongside former rebels who led South Sudan to independence in July 2011 - the two groups deny charges from Khartoum that they are still working together. | |
Sudan's government has denies accusations from human rights that is carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Nuba community seen as supporting the SPLM-N. | |
Last week, Sudan also denied that it had bombed refugees who had fled the conflict into South Sudan. |