Abducted foreign oil workers freed in West Kordofan

Three foreign oil workers who were abducted last month in Kanar, West Kordofan, have been released on Friday. The released oil workers, two Chinese and an Algerian, arrived at Khartoum airport on the same day, where they were welcomed by the Sudanese Minister of Petroleum, Makawi Mohamed Awad. In a press conference, in the presence of the Algerian ambassador to Khartoum and the Chinese Chargé d’Affairs, Awad said that negotiations with the kidnappers were successfully concluded without paying a ransom. “The hostages were handed over to the West Kordofan state authorities on Thursday morning.” The minister described the abduction as “incidental” and said it would not impact the work in the oilfields and the oil investments, emphasising that the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) is ready to fully carry out its role.On 18 April, an armed group had kidnapped eight oil workers, three foreigners and five Sudanese, during an attack on the Kanar oil field in West Kordofan state. On 24 April, a group calling itself the Popular Front of Sudan claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the three foreign oil engineers during an attack on the oil field. The leader of the group, Fadul Eisa, nicknamed Abu Keiaan, said that negotiations had been started with Chinese authorities for their release. (Source: Sudan Tribune, Suna) News photo: The released oil workers upon their arrival at Khartoum Airport, 2 May 2014 (Suna) Related:Popular Front of Sudan claims abduction of oil engineers in West Kordofan (24 April 2014) Oil engineers abducted in Sudan’s West Kordofan (20 April 2014)