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Ethiopia frees remaining Eritrea POWs

    ADDIS ABABA

    Ethiopia has released all Eritrean prisoners of war following the two-year border conflict between the two countries, the government announced on Tuesday.

    In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it said all 1,568 prisoners of war were now free.

    “Ethiopia today releases all the remaining 1,568 Eritrean prisoners of war including two colonels and other commissioned and non-commissioned officers,” the statement said. “In a farewell occasion organised yesterday the prisoners of war were informed that they are free and that they have the right to go to a place of their choice."

    “Repatriation of the prisoners of war will start as of today,” the statement added. “Ethiopia has now freed all prisoners of war under its control.”

    Eritrea announced in August that it had released all Ethiopian prisoners of war.

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has played a crucial role in ensuring prisoners of war are released.

    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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