ICRC says 125 detained Sudanese soldiers released

Reuters
·1 min read
FILE PHOTO: Sudan's Khartoum running low on food and medicine as fighting rages

GENEVA (Reuters) - The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday it had facilitated the release of 125 Sudanese soldiers held by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that has been fighting Sudanese forces since April.

The soldiers' release, which occurred on Wednesday, followed a request by the parties to the conflict, ICRC said.

"We stand ready to act as a neutral intermediary for the release of detainees from all side to the conflict whenever requested," Jean-Christophe Sandoz, ICRC's head of delegation in Sudan, said in a statement.

War between Sudan's army and the RSF has caused a major humanitarian crisis and displaced nearly 2.8 million people, of which almost 650,000 have fled to neighbouring countries.

(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Toby Chopra)