Two volunteers of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) seized over a week ago by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in eastern Sierra Leone have been freed unharmed, an MSF source in Freetown told IRIN on Thursday.
"They were released this morning, are quite well and are on their way back to Freetown via Daru," Jean Cabrol, manager of MSF's emergency unit, said.
The two men, a Belgian and a German, have been running a health project in Kailahun District. They had been held since last Tuesday.
RUF field commander, Sam Bockarie, who has his base in Buedu in Kailahun District, said through a spokesman last week that the two had been taken to focus the attention of the international community on his dissatisfaction with the disarmament and demobilisation programme.
"We don't know why they were released but we are very happy," Cabrol said.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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