Sudan to release 24 Darfur prisoners as gesture

Sudan to release 24 Darfur prisoners as gesture

Sudan's justice minister on Saturday announced the release of 24 Darfur prisoners as part of a goodwill agreement with rebels from the region.

 
The release was linked to a deal signed in Qatar this week between Khartoum and the insurgent Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) designed to pave the way to peace talks, minister Abdel Basit Sabderat told reporters.
 
Sabderat made the announcement at the end of a one-day visit to Khartoum from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. He did not say which prisoners would be released or whether they would be JEM members.
 
JEM, which has reported continued clashes with Sudan government forces in Darfur since the deal was signed, promised earlier this week to release a number of its prisoners-of-war as a confidence-building measure.
 
International experts say almost six years of fighting in Darfur has killed 200,000 and uprooted 2.7 million. Khartoum says 10,000 have died.
 
 
PHOTO CAPTION
 
A map of Sudan showing the Darfur region.
 
Reuters

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