Sudan rebel group SPLM frees 125 prisoners

Freedom at last! This is the new story for 125 Sudanese prisoners of war who have been released and are back home.

The prisoners were captured by militant group SPLM-North, and are now to go back home after successful release negotiations.

Their release was secured thanks to mediation from Uganda, while the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) played a facilitating role.

The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) had captured the prisoners in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, where the group has been fighting Sudanese government forces for years.

The longest-held prisoners had been captured in June 2009 and the most recent about six months ago.