Khartoum (ICRC) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has provided humanitarian assistance to 253 detainees released by the government of Sudan on 9 March. The majority of them are part of Darfuri armed opposition groups.
The ICRC provided the 253 with kits containing essential items. It also granted 242 of the released men a travel allowance to cover the transportation costs to their home towns, making their reunification with their families possible.
"We are very pleased to support the reunification of the released men with their families," said Gérard Peytrignet, ICRC's head of delegation in Sudan. "It was upon the request of the Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement - Gibreel Ibrahim that we became involved. The regular dialogue that we hold with all those involved in the conflict has enabled us to play our role as neutral intermediary once again."
In addition, ICRC's team carried out routine confidential interviews with the released men to inquire about their wellbeing.
In March 2017, in a different humanitarian operation involving Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda, the ICRC facilitated the repatriation of 125 people released by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), and handed them over to the authorities in Khartoum.
For further information, please contact:
Asia Kambal, ICRC Khartoum, +249 912 164 931
To preview and download the latest ICRC video footage in broadcast quality, go towww.icrcvideonewsroom.org
To find out what the ICRC is doing to put an end to attacks on health workers and patients, go towww.healthcareindanger.org