BREAKING NEWS

29 kidnapped Chinese workers in Sudan freed

KHARTOUM/BEIJING - Sudanese rebel forces released 29 Chinese workers kidnapped ten days ago in the main oil-producing state of South Kordofan, where the army has been fighting insurgents for seven months, Sudan's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
The incident had been an embarrassment for the Sudanese government, which is trying to boost investment from China, its main political and trade ally, as it seeks to overcome a severe economic crisis.
The Sudanese foreign ministry said the 29 Chinese workers were flown out from Kauda in South Kordofan by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to neighboring Kenya.
"The Sudanese foreign ministry affirms to the government and people of China that Sudan's government seeks to protect Chinese investments and workers involved in it," a ministry statement said.