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WAU - 19 Oct 2018

Wau authorities release 16 war prisoners

File photo: War prisoners captured in Wadakona arrive in Juba, 10 March 2015 (Radio Tamazuj)
File photo: War prisoners captured in Wadakona arrive in Juba, 10 March 2015 (Radio Tamazuj)

Authorities in South Sudan’s Wau state on Friday freed 16 war prisoners from the armed opposition placed under military detention at different periods this year, according to a top state official.

This comes after President Salva Kiir ordered the immediate release of all Prisoners of War (POWs) and political detainees held by his government as part of the signed peace deal.

Angelo Taban Biajo, the governor of Wau state, said they released 16 prisoners of war they had been holding in Wau and handed them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Angelo further said the release of the prisoners of war was in response to President Salva Kiir’s order for the immediate release of all prisoners of war and detainees, in line with the signed peace agreement.

Governor Taban urged all holdout groups to join the peace process.

Nuor Khadama, Head of Sub-delegation of ICRC in Wau, confirmed that they received 16 Prisoners of War (POWs) from the state government today.

Khadama said the ICRC would facilitate the transportation of the released prisoners of war to their homes, adding the ICRC remains ready to facilitate additional releases across the country. 

On Monday, the SPLA-IO released four prisoners of war they had been holding in Upper Nile region and handed them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The United Nations on Thursday called on South Sudan's warring parties to release 900 civilians who were abducted in the Western Equatoria region between April and August.