Khartoum: 13 freed Chinese hostages arrive

Thirty-six Chinese citizens arrived at Khartoum airport on Monday evening, coming from Nyala airport in South Darfur. Thirteen were held by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), and 23 others of workers in the same area, leaving behind 10 other freed hostages in Al-Abbasiya to be evacuated to Khartoum later. A spokesman for the Sudanese Armed Forces, Colonel Khaled Saad, told reporters after the group's arrival at Khartoum airport:  “Thirteen have been freed by military operations...29 others are still being held.” He said that the armed forces would not stand idly but “take action to free the other hostages." He blamed the SPLM for anything that may happened to the abductees: "They have violated international law by abducting civilians who have labour contracts with Sudan," asking the group to release them immediately. The Chinese ambassador in Khartoum, Luo Xiaoguang, asked the Sudanese government to exert maximum efforts to free the remaining Chinese citizens. He stressed that China's relationship with Sudan "will not be affected by this incident". The Chinese workers were received at the airport by the Chinese ambassador to Sudan, Luo Xiaoguang, Colonel Khaled Saad, and Sudanese Minister of Transport, roads and bridges, Ahmed Babiker Nahar.