South Sudan rebels free abducted aid workers

Sudan and South Sudan. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• ICRC said that it welcomed the gesture and urged the South Sudan parties to stop aggression against humanitarian workers
• The aid workers went missing while on a mission to provide humanitarian aid to the residents of Yei

By JOSEPH ODUHA
More by this Author

A South Sudan armed group has set free 10 aid workers who went missing last week in River Yei State.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed on Monday that the 10 had been airlifted to Juba.

ICRC said in a short statement that it welcomed the gesture and urged the South Sudan parties to stop aggression against humanitarian workers.

Went missing

"We are pleased that these 10 aid workers can now return to Juba to their families.

"We want to remind all parties to the conflict that aid workers are never a target," ICRC head of delegation Francos Stamm, said.

The aid workers went missing while on a mission to provide humanitarian aid to the residents of Yei.

RELATED CONTENT: 10 aid workers missing in South Sudan

The UN relief coordinator, Mr Alain Noudehou, said the humanitarian community was shocked by the kidnapping of the aid workers.

Those kidnapped included one staff from Unicef, one from the South Sudan Developmental Organisation (SSDO), three from Plan International and one from Action Africa Help (AAH).

Mr Noudehou urged the parties to the conflict to observe international humanitarian law.

"I firmly condemn the latest attack against colleagues engaged in emergency humanitarian assistance in central Equatoria and call on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to ensure a safe and secure environment, conducive to the delivery of assistance," he said.

Their kidnap was the second affecting aid workers in Yei River State in the recent times.