The SAF captives paraded upon arrival at Juba International Airport [©Gurtong]
By Waakhe Simon Wudu
JUBA, 16th April 2012 [Gurtong]
The captives were flown to Juba yesterday afternoon by the SPLA with others suffering fractured hands and legs. One of the captives, Moror Malik told Gurtong that he had two bullets locked in his thigh sustained during the clash and needs to be operated.
“These are some of the prisoners captured on 10th of this month when Khartoum attacked Panthou (Heglig),” Col. Philip Aguer, the SPLA Spokesperson told Gurtong at Juba International Airport.
He said SPLA abides with the international law on treating captives and will therefore liaise with the Red Cross to facilitate if the captives will be returned home in Sudan.
“We are going to liaise with the Red Cross if they are willing to facilitate the captives’ home return,” Aguer said.
Gurtong spoke to some of the captives who testified that they were operating under SAF military orders to the front line.
“We were captured on 10th April during the attack. I was held back while preparing some medical facilities when I realised that the forces (SAF) had left,” 30 year old 1st Lt. Khalid Hassan Ahamed, a Medical Commander disclosed to Gurtong.
Meanwhile, 56 year old Yunish Mahad Idris, a father of 11 children from Algaderif State explained to Gurtong that he wasn’t aware that the SAF was deploying them to the front line. He was ordered to prepare for a journey he didn’t know its destination.
He narrated how he stayed for two days thirsty for water while in the war front. He was ambushed and captured by the SPLA while searching for water.
Aguer said fighting between the two forces is still intense. SPLA is in control of Heglig despite mass force exerted by SAF.