release of 19 soldiers kidnapped more than two months ago

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on Tuesday the release of 19 Central African soldiers, taken hostage on February 14 by an alliance of rebel groups in the north of the Central African Republic, a country in the grip of a civil war for several years. years.

Of the twenty soldiers taken hostage more than two months ago, 19 were released and “will arrive in Birao (North) around 5 p.m. and they will stay there until we organize their return to Bangui“, told AFP Yves Van Loo, deputy head of the ICRC delegation in the Central African Republic.

They had been taken hostage by members of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) afterfierce fightingbetween soldiers and rebels in Sikikede, a locality in the Vakaga region in the north of the Central African Republic, at the crossroads of the Chadian and Sudanese borders. These clashes had caused military losses “considerable“, according to the government, which had not communicated a precise balance sheet. The military “appear healthy and able to withstand the journey“said Mr. Van Loo.

“Voluntary and unilateral decision”

The CPC announced in a press release its “voluntary and unilateral decision to release the twenty soldiers taken prisonermore than two months ago. Among them, 19 were actually released. “The twentieth is an injured person who had been separated from the group for medical treatment. We’ll pick it up somewhere else later.“, Mr. Van Loo told AFP.

The liberation operations took place in an area whose access is made difficult by fighting between rebels, soldiers and their mercenary allies from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner. “Ever since they were taken hostage, their release was our biggest concern (…) We wanted to see them free“, told AFP Augustin Ndando Kpako, spokesperson for the General Staff of the armies.