A group of 27 people, comprised of abducted civilians and prisoners of war, have been returned to Greater Bahr el-Ghazal to be reunited with their families.

Eighteen of those returned are from Northern and Western Bahr El Ghazal states and were reunited on Friday with their families after being held for months in South Darfur.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the Northern Bahr el-Ghazal state Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) director, Deng Kuel, claimed that the South Sudan Red Cross facilitated the process.  The group of 18 people reportedly included both abducted civilians and prisoners of war from 6 households.

The capture happened, he claimed, during the last year's fighting between South Sudan’s army, the SPLA, and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in Western Bahr el-Ghazal state’s Raja county.

Meanwhile another group of nine people, alleged to have been abducted civilians and held in Khartoum were also released following the recently implemented cooperation agreement in Addis Ababa.

“The first flight brought freed detainees and our office registered only two while another two escaped during the arrival time from the Airport with reasons that we don't know, or which we assumed that they think that they are to be imprisoned again,” Deng told Radio Tamazuj, referring to the smaller group.

“We received another five war prisoners that came from Khartoum via Juba (and then) to Aweil by land transport,” Deng reported.

The SSRRC director added that the International Organization Migration (IOM) will transport those released to their final destinations and that they will be provided with three months’ worth of food rations.