Kidnapped Russian pilots released

Three Russian pilots,abducted by an unknown group on Sunday in Sudans troubled Darfur region,were freed.

on Sunday in Sudans troubled Darfur region,were freed by security forces after a clash with their kidnappers.

Abdel-Hameed Moussa Kasha,Governor of the province,was quoted as saying by the official Sudan Media Center that security forces fought with the kidnappers last night before freeing the men.

The three pilots who worked for a company transporting food for the UN-African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.

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They have been released and taken to the city of Nyala in Sudans South Darfur province. They are feeling fine,none of them was injured, Consular official of Russian Embassy in Khartoum Evgeny Arzhantsev was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

The pilots,employed by the Khartoum-based Badr Airlines,were abducted near their residential quarters in Nyala when they were travelling on a mini van after delivering food and other civilian supplies for the UN mission in Darfur.

The Deputy Chief of Badr Airlines,Mutaz Shora,said the company did not pay any ransom.

The company did not receive any ransom demands from the abductors,the hostages were released without any preconditions. Earlier,the Kremlin special envoy for Sudan Mikhail Margelov said the three Russian pilots were abducted by a quasi political criminal group active in Darfur.