ICRC assists transfer of 14 Sudan soldiers from Labado to Nyala

14/04/2013 17:39

Fourteen soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) captured during battles against a Darfur rebel group were released on Saturday afternoon in Nyala. Sudan Liberation Army -Minni Minawi said the officers have been relocated from Labado to Nyala.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the operation. It transferred the officers by helicopter to South Darfur’s capital, where they were handed over to the Sudanese authorities. “The Sudanese authorities and the SLA-MM asked us to assist in the transfer in our capacity as a neutral intermediary,” said Mustapha Ben Messaoud, head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Nyala. Labado and the nearby town of Muhajeriya in East Darfur have recently been the stage of fighting between SLA-MM and SAF. Different sources confirmed the rebels are in control of the cities “located in strategic positions along main supply routes used by traders and humanitarians to move supplies from Khartoum through East Darfur to South Darfur”, as UN OCHA describes. The agency says that in line with initial estimates by an NGO, up to 15,000 people have been displaced from both towns as a result of the battles that began on 6 April.Before the fighting, Muhajeriya and Labado counted with an estimated population of 67,000 people, according to the State Ministry of Health.Related: 15,000 fled clashes, rebels in control of several towns East Darfur (12 April 2013)

Fourteen soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) captured during battles against a Darfur rebel group were released on Saturday afternoon in Nyala. Sudan Liberation Army -Minni Minawi said the officers have been relocated from Labado to Nyala.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the operation. It transferred the officers by helicopter to South Darfur’s capital, where they were handed over to the Sudanese authorities.

“The Sudanese authorities and the SLA-MM asked us to assist in the transfer in our capacity as a neutral intermediary,” said Mustapha Ben Messaoud, head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Nyala.

Labado and the nearby town of Muhajeriya in East Darfur have recently been the stage of fighting between SLA-MM and SAF.

Different sources confirmed the rebels are in control of the cities “located in strategic positions along main supply routes used by traders and humanitarians to move supplies from Khartoum through East Darfur to South Darfur”, as UN OCHA describes.

The agency says that in line with initial estimates by an NGO, up to 15,000 people have been displaced from both towns as a result of the battles that began on 6 April.

Before the fighting, Muhajeriya and Labado counted with an estimated population of 67,000 people, according to the State Ministry of Health.

Related: 15,000 fled clashes, rebels in control of several towns East Darfur (12 April 2013)