Global General

UN hails release of kidnapped workers in Darfur

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-12-09 08:50

UNITED NATIONS - The UN food agency on Wednesday welcomed the release of three Latvian helicopter crew members working for it who were kidnapped early in November in Sudan's war-torn Darfur, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here.

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"The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) today welcomed the news that three Latvian men working as helicopter aircrew for the WFP United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, have been freed after more than a month in captivity," Nesirky said at a daily news briefing.

"WFP said that the three Latvians - a pilot, co-pilot and mechanic seized by gunmen in the South Darfur capital of Nyala on November 4 - would be flown to Khartoum before traveling home to Latvia," the spokesman said.

The three men - Captain Artjoms Nalbandjans, co-pilot Janis Gindra and mechanic Kaspars Reihlers were seized by gunmen while carrying out vital humanitarian work for the UN in Sudan.

They will be flown to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, before traveling home to Latvia, WFP said in a news release.

"Throughout their detention, WFP was assured that they were safe and well. WFP worked closely with the Government of Sudan at all levels for the safe release of the three men," said the agency.

Run by WFP, UNHAS flies aid workers from the UN and non- governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as journalists and others, to some of the hardest-to-reach emergency operations around the world.

It plays a vital role in accessing remote locations and in cases where insecurity prevents travel by road.