Oct 14, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has facilitated the release of three people by the National Salvation Front (NAS) in Central Equatoria, South Sudan.
According to a statement shared by ICRC, the three who included two Sudanese nationals were released on Friday 9th October 2020.
“Our role in this week’s release was to ensure that these three individuals were handed over voluntarily and that they had the opportunity to confidentially share their concerns about their situation. We safely transported them to Juba with the consent of both parties,” said James Reynolds, the ICRC’s head of delegation in South Sudan.
The statement noted that an ICRC medical staff member was present at the release to assess their health condition and make sure they were fit to travel.
It further noted that ICRC was not involved in any negotiations that preceded the release but acted upon request by the National Salvation Front (NAS) to facilitate the release.
“The ICRC is mentioned as a neutral facilitator for the release of detainees in the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians, and Humanitarian Access that was signed between the parties in December 2017 as well as a supervisor for the release of detainees in Chapter II of the R-ARCSS. In addition to this week’s release, the ICRC facilitated the release of 23 people being held in relation with the conflict, including 11 children in January 2020.” It stated.
The statement said that this is the second release of detainees in Central Equatoria facilitated by the ICRC this year at the request of the relevant authorities, and the fourth since the signing of the latest peace agreement–the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS)–in September 2018.
