Rebels in South Sudan have reportedly released 13 UN contractors taken hostage last week while escorting a barge carrying fuel on the Nile.
A Special Representative in the globe’s youngest nation has issued a statement saying the UN launched a successful mission to retrieve the contractors and the barge on Sunday and has called on the rebels from the SPLA-In Opposition to immediately release 55,000 litres in fuel, communications equipment and seven weapons that were also on board when they seized the barge on October 26. At the time, rebels also held 18 peacekeepers captive for three days before releasing them unharmed.
“While we, today, are relieved by the safe release of all UN personnel, the need for all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to fully respect unfettered free access and movement of UN personnel and assets cannot be underlined strongly enough,” said UN Special Representative to South Sudan Ellen Margrethe Løj. “A similar incident should not and hopefully will not happen again,” she added.
The UN has 13,000 personnel working to protect civilians and help foster a regional effort to end the conflict that erupted in 2013 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to former vice president Riek Machar. The conflict has displaced more than 2.2 million South Sudanese, including 700,000 who fled to neighbouring countries.
