Pretoria - Four South African peacekeepers kidnapped in the war-ravaged Sudanese region of Darfur were released today after having spent more than two weeks in captivity, the United Nations said.
The two men and two women from the joint UN/African Union UNAMID mission were kidnapped on 11 April from the region's main town Nyala, the latest in a wave of abductions of foreign workers by young men demanding ransoms.
After undergoing medical examinations, the four will be flown to their back to South Africa.
"We are grateful to have our colleagues back with us," said Ibrahim Gambari, UNAMID Joint Special Representative, who expressed gratitude to the Sudanese Government and local authorities in South Darfur for their cooperation.
He expressed hope that "this was the last time that peacekeepers, both military, police and civilians, who were here to bring peace and stability to the people of Darfur, were subjected to such unacceptable ordeals."
On Monday, Gambari held talks with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who pledged to do everything possible to bring about safe return of the UNAMID personnel.
The mission, with nearly 22 000 uniformed personnel, was set up at the beginning of 2008 to help end a seven-year conflict between the Government and rebels that has killed at least 300 000 people and driven 2.7 million others from their homes.
