The Tanzanian plane that was detained by South Sudanese rebels last week in Ganyliel area in Panyijiar County has been released, a state official announced today.

Rebels allied to former vice Riek Machar on Tuesday announced that they detained the government-appointed commissioner of Panyijiar County Peter Gatkoi Bilieu after his chartered plane landed in their area in Ganyliel. They said that a Tanzanian plane carrying the commissioner and three security guards landed at Ganyliel airstrip.

Speaking to reporters after the released plane landed at the Juba International Airport, Peter Makuoth Malual, Minister of Information in Southern Liech State, confirmed that the SPLA-IO rebels have released the plane.

“The plane is released, it has landed at Juba Airport today around 1:00 pm, the plane is good and the pilot is also okay, so this is what happened today,” said Makuoth.

The official pointed out that the detained commissioner is still being held by the armed opposition group in Ganyliel area. “With respect to our brother, Commissioner Peter Gatkoi, he is still in Panyijiar, we do not have direct contacts with him, but he is fine according to our information, “he said.

 The state minister said that they were negotiating with the SPLM-IO rebels to release the detained commissioner of Panyijiar.