4 SSPDF captives released by SPLA-IO in Jonglei

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has released at least four South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers which it captured during recent clashes in Jonglei state’s Fangak County, the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement.

“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the release of four persons, detained in relation to the conflict between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in Opposition and the South Sudan People’s Defense Force on 3 February 2022,” the ICRC statement reads in part.

ICRC’s head of delegation to the Republic of South Sudan Pierre Dorbes said the body “continues to offer our services to all parties to the conflict to act as a neutral intermediary for the release of detainees whenever requested. Our teams on the ground have arranged and ensured the safe transport of these former detainees to Juba, and we are happy they can be reunited with their families.”

According to the statement, around 193 detainees have been released since the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in 2018 by President Salva Kiir’s government and the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition with the facilitation of the International Committee of Red Cross.

“Since the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in September 2018, the ICRC has facilitated the release of 193 persons detained in relation to the conflict in South Sudan,” it said.

“In December 2017, the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access signed between the parties designated the ICRC as a neutral intermediary for the release of detainees, as well as a supervisor for the release of detainees in Chapter II of the R-ARCSS,” the statement added.

It said the ICRC “visits places of detention across South Sudan to monitor the treatment and living conditions of detainees. The organization works confidentially with the detaining authorities to discuss possible issues of concern relating to the treatment and conditions of detention and provides selected places of detention with technical and material support.”