The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced that the 19 Central African soldiers taken hostage were released on Tuesday.
20 soldiers were taken hostage on 14 February by an alliance of rebel groups in northern CAR. 19 soldiers were released and one was separated from the group for medical treatment as he was injured.
The Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) took these soldiers hostage after violent fighting” between soldiers and rebels in Sikikede, in the Vakaga region, located at the crossroads of the Chadian and Sudanese borders.
These clashes between the military and rebels resulted in “considerable” military losses, according to the government.
However, the CPC accused the Central African government and the president of refusing to get personally involved in the release of the soldiers as military leaders.
The spokesperson for the Military Staff, Augustin Ndando Kpako, said that they had neutrally intervened from the beginning to negotiate with the parties concerned, adding that the release of the hostages was their main concern.