A large group of South Sudanese who were ‘abducted’ from Raja County last year during clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces and South Sudanese military were reportedly returned over the weekend following negotiations between the Sewok organisation and local authorities in East Darfur.

The group were taken during clashes in January this year in Kitkit town of Western Bahr el Ghazal.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, The Hon. James Aguer Alich confirmed that 120 South Sudanese citizens who were kidnapped during fighting between Sudan and South Sudan early this year were now returned.

“There was a group of children who were kidnapped on 2 January in Kitkit area and were sent to East Darfur. We as Sewok went to Wau and Aweil, made contact with Rezeigat local authorities and they accepted to return them to us”, said Alich.

“There number was 128 and but before they took-off from Ed Daien to Aweil one child died from the group. But the current number is 127 of whom are women and children”, Alich confirmed.

The senior government official explained that they held talks with the local authorities in East Darfur including with Fardos area omda, Mahmood Khalid Mohammed Noor.

The officer also dismissed rumours which have been circulating since last week, that some Rezeigat men were arrested in Gok Machar. Instead he said they exchanged hostages after January clashes and since then no other Sudanese were kidnapped or killed.

Alich added that the kidnapped women and children will be taken to their respective places of origin namely Wau, Warrap or elsewhere.

“The movement will start today to Wau. The Wau, Torit, Juba, Upper Nile, and Warrap group will be transported to Wau and from there they will be taken to their destinations”, added Alich.

He also old Radio Tamazuj that the returned kidnapped women and children were in poor health, but that Doctors Without Borders are helping them to recover as soon as possible.

“Sewok” organisation is a national organisation founded by the government of South Sudan to handle matters related to kidnapping and abduction. 

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