ICRC facilitates handover of SAF soldiers

The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) handed over three members of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Radio Dabanga has learned on Sunday November 25. The three members of the SAF were captured by the Sudan’s Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) during the recent battle in Wadi Murrah.Adam Saleh, military spokesman of the SLM-MM, told Radio Dabanga that the handover of the prisoners to the ICRC took place on Saturday, adding that the prisoners were released for ‘humanitarian reasons’.He pointed out that the three released prisoners are Hamid Ali al-Sheikh, who is at the age of 70, Jalal Abkar Hassan al-Rasheed, who is only 15-years-old and Mohamed Farah Naser Fadel al-Mawli, who is severely injured and in need of medical aid. The spokesman stressed that the remaining prisoners will be released/handed over to their families or civil administrations, he added to Radio Dabanga. ICRCAt the same time, the ICRC issued a news release on Saturday announcing the facilitation of the handover.Head of the ICRC in Sudan, Jean-Christophe Sandoz, said that “the SLM-MM and the Sudanese authorities asked us to assist in the transfer of the soldiers in our capacity as a neutral intermediary and we remain committed to providing such support in the future, should parties to the conflict ask us to do so.” In July, the organization facilitated the handover of 63 SAF members after they were released by SLM-MM.