Government Releases Four Detained Foreigners, Hand them to Mbeki

Khartoum – the Sudanese Government has released four foreigners detained last month near the border with South Sudan shortly after SAF repulsed the SPLA aggression on Heglig.
Foreign Minister, Ali Karti revealed in press statements yesterday in Khartoum that Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hussein handed the four detained foreigners to AUHIP Chief, Thabo Mbeki, considering that the latter is an agreed on mediator supported by the international community.
Karti added that the government aims at enabling Mbeki to play great role in the mediation between Sudan and South Sudan.
For his part, NCP considered the government's step as affirmation to its keenness to achieve international and regional peace besides expressing good intentions.
NCP Spokesman, Prof. Badr Addeen Ahmed Ibrahim said in statements yesterday that the step came in response to a request from Mbeki, adding that the government accepted the request despite the fact that the detained foreigners were arrested in a military zone.
 “We thank the President for their release,” Mbeki told reporters as he sat next to the four.