site.btaSix Bulgarians Taken Captive by Sudan Militants

Six Bulgarians Taken
Captive by Sudan
Militants


Sofia, January 28 (BTA) - Six Bulgarians were taken captive by
militants in Sudan after their helicopter made a forced landing
near Kaduqli on January 26, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry
reported on Wednesday. The helicopter was operated by a
Bulgarian air carrier working for the UN World Food Programme.

The six captives include the three-member crew of the helicopter
and three officers of the Bulgarian air carrier. They are being
held by SPLM-North, a militant organization fighting against
government forces in the area.

The helicopter was flying from Rumbek, South Sudan, to Khartoum,
Sudan. The flight was cleared by the authorities of both Sudan
and South Sudan.

After the incident, the government of Sudan sent a military
airplane to fly over the area. The airplane crew sighted the
Bulgarians' helicopter but did not notice any damage to it.
According to the manager of the Bulgarian air carrier in Sudan,
the six Bulgarians are safe and feeling well.

UN World Food Programme officials contacted the militant
organization in Sudan, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said.

The Ministry is keeping in touch with the Office of UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon, UN Under-Secretary General for
Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, the leadership of the UN
World Food Programme and other UN agencies which are working
with the Bulgarian government and doing everything for the
Bulgarian captives to be released. PK/VE


/СН/