On Thursday, a rebel group operating out of Sudan’s Nuba Mountains turned over nine prisoners of war to Khartoum authorities thanks to mediation from neighboring South Sudan, potentially increasing the likelihood that the two parties could achieve a binding agreement.
In the South Sudanese capital of Juba, the nine men who had been held captive by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) were delivered to Jamal Malik, the ambassador of Sudan there.
They were freed on humanitarian grounds so they could return to their families after being captured last month in South Kordofan, Sudan, according to Amar Amon, the SPLM-N secretary general, who spoke at a news conference in Juba.
We don’t have issues with them personally, but the government is a problem, he said.
Jamal Malik, Sudan’s ambassador, stated at the news conference Despite claiming they were not members of the Sudanese military forces, Khartoum applauded the release of the inmates.
The Sudanese government has been working to establish agreements with rebel groups across the nation in recent years in an effort to put an end to decades-long wars that have caused millions of people to be displaced and killed hundreds of thousands.
Some rebels from the nation’s south and the unrest-plagued Darfur area in the west have already signed deals to end hostilities.
However, an SPLM-N faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu has resisted, controlling sizeable forces and territory from his stronghold in South Kordofan.
Despite making headway, negotiations between the rebel group and Khartoum have so far failed to produce a binding agreement.
Minority Christians and African believers, who claim long-standing prejudice due to their objection to Sudan’s Sharia law, predominate in the region where the organization operates.
According to Tut Gatluak Manime, South Sudan’s presidential advisor on security affairs and leader of the mediation team, the release of the hostages by the SPLM-N rebel faction indicates the “positive intention” of the rebels to continue holding negotiations.
