Armed Group Releases 17 Young Men in Central Equatoria

(JUBA) – Seventeen young men who were being held by an armed opposition group in the Jebel Iraq gold mining area have been released through cooperation between the Central Equatoria State Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The group was freed on 1 October after ten days in captivity and formally handed over to state authorities. They were received on Friday at the State Government Secretariat in Juba by Deputy Governor Paulino Lukudu Obede, who represented the Governor at the event.

State Minister of Information and Communication, Patrick Nyarsuk, briefed the media on the development. He said the release was made possible with the involvement of the ICRC, Lainya County Commissioner Robert John Lasu and Wonduruba Administrative Payam Coordinator Stephen Towongo.

According to the State Government, the youths were detained on 21 September and their release marks a relief for families who had been waiting for news.

Minister Nyarsuk used the occasion to call on armed groups still active in parts of the state to drop their weapons and stop kidnappings and other forms of violence. He said dialogue remains the only way to address grievances and restore peace.

He assured the public that the state government remains committed to talks and negotiations as a way of preventing further insecurity.

A spokesman for the released youths expressed gratitude to the authorities and the humanitarian partners involved in securing their freedom.

No mention was made of any financial demands in connection with the release.