General Thomas Cirilo’s forces release three civilians including two foreigners

JUBA – South Sudan rebels of the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka have released three civilians under its custody including two foreigners of Sudanese nationality, according to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

The three civilians were released on October 9, following a request to the ICRC by the National Salvation Front that the organization facilitate their release. It remains unclear from when the three have been in the rebel custody.

“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the release of three people, including two Sudanese nationals, deprived of their freedom in South Sudan. They were released on 9 October 2020,” the ICRC said in a statement extended to Sudans Post this morning.

“Our role in this week’s release was to ensure that these three individuals were handed over voluntarily and that they had the opportunity to confidentially share their concerns about their situation,” said James Reynolds, the ICRC’s head of delegation in South Sudan. “We safely transported them to Juba with the consent of both parties.”

According to the ICRC statement, the latest released of civilians by an armed group “marks the second release of detainees in Central Equatoria facilitated by the ICRC this year at the request of the relevant authorities, and the fourth since the signing of the latest peace agreement–the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS)–in September 2018.”

It said the international aid group was not involved in any negotiation to have the civilians released saying it received a request from the NAS that they facilitate their release from their custody.

“The ICRC was not involved in any negotiations that preceded the release,” the statement said. “The ICRC received a request from the National Salvation Front (NAS) to facilitate the release. The ICRC was also in contact with the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and informed all parties about its role in the release.”