Friday, March 13, 2009

Canadian nurse freed in Sudan



A Canadian nurse kidnapped in Sudan, along with an Italian doctor and a French field worker, has been released, Medecins sans frontieres said in a statement Friday.
The organization said that Sudanese authorities were returning the freed nurse — Laura Archer, originally from Prince Edward Island and more recently living in Montreal — but it was unclear how long it would take to finalize the release.
"We have not yet seen our colleagues, nor have we had a chance to speak with them since we heard that they were being released," said the statement.
The organization said they had contacted the families of the latest development.
Sudanese authorities had already identified where the group were being held, blaming "bandits" for their kidnapping on Wednesday.
The kidnapping came a week after Sudan expelled the 13 foreign aid agencies after the International Criminal Court ordered President Omar al-Bashir's arrest for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.Archer's parents had earlier released a statement saying that they were "confident of Archer's safe and timely release."Medecins Sans Frontieres is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in about 70 countries.MSF also works in remote health-care centres, slum areas and provides training of local personnel.

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