The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday it has facilitated the release of three detainees, including two Sudanese nationals from a South Sudanese rebel group.
ICRC said it acted as a neutral facilitator in the release of two Sudanese and a South Sudanese national held by the rebel group, National Salvation Front (NAS) on October 9, 2020.
James Reynolds, ICRC’s head of delegation in South Sudan, said his organization only facilitated voluntary handover of the individuals whose names were not revealed.
“We safely transported them to Juba with the consent of both parties,” Reynolds said in a statement issued in Juba.
The charity said that it was not involved in any negotiations that preceded the release.
ICRC is mentioned as a neutral facilitator for the release of detainees and Prisoners of War (POWs) in the cessation of hostilities agreement signed between South Sudan’s warring parties in December 2017 as well as a supervisor for the release of detainees in the 2018 revitalized peace deal.
In addition to this week’s release, ICRC said it facilitated the release of 23 people, including 11 children since January.
