Aid workers may be freed

2009-07-09 10:31

Khartoum - Two female aid workers kidnapped in Sudan's Darfur region could be released "shortly", a government official told state media on Wednesday.

Sudan's state Suna news agency quoted a "source" from the country's ministry of humanitarian affairs saying the women had already been contacted by representatives from their home countries, Ireland and Uganda.

Up to eight men seized the workers for Irish aid group Goal from their compound in the north Darfur town of Kutum on Friday - the third kidnapping of foreigners in the remote western region in four months.

"The source said the two abductees are in a good health condition, adding that they were contacted by their respective countries, Ireland and Uganda," reported Suna.

Satisfactory outcome

"He expected the two abductees to be set free shortly," read the Suna report.

Sudan's state minister for humanitarian affairs Abdel Baqi al-Jailani earlier said officials had pinpointed the location of the kidnapped women but declined to name the area for fear of jeopardising negotiations.

Ireland's foreign minister said the government was optimistic the women would be released.

"It's taking time but we have to be patient and we are hopeful that we can bring about a satisfactory outcome to this," Micheal Martin told Ireland's state broadcaster.

Goal said it was confident a team of Irish diplomats and negotiators, who have set up bases in Khartoum and El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, would succeed.

Hand over

"They have terrific people in the field, men who are determined to get to these kidnappers and convince them to hand over the girls," said the charity's founder, John O'Shea.

Goal, which named the kidnapped women as Hilda Kawuki, 42, from Uganda, and Sharon Commins, 32, from Dublin, has suspended operations in the area.

A branch of Darfur's rebel Sudan Liberation Army, active in the territory, earlier this week denied any involvement and accused government-backed militia of abducting the women, saying Khartoum wanted to intimidate foreign aid groups in Darfur. Sudan's government dismissed the allegation.

The six-year Darfur conflict has pitted pro-government militia and troops against mostly non-Arab rebels, who took up arms in 2003, accusing Khartoum of neglecting the region.

Growing hostility

Aid groups helping run the world's largest humanitarian operation in Darfur say they have faced growing hostility since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir in March to face charges of masterminding atrocities in Darfur.

Khartoum expelled 13 foreign humanitarian organisations in March, and closed three local groups, accusing them of helping the global court build up its case.

Abductions of foreigners were almost unheard of in Darfur before March when a group, reportedly calling itself the Eagles of Bashir, seized three Medecins Sans Frontieres staff, protesting against the ICC's ruling.

Those workers were later released unharmed, as were two staff members from France's Aide Medicale Internationale, abducted in south Darfur in April.

- Reuters