China sends team to Sudan to­rescue workers abducted last week

The Chinese government rushed a team of officials to Sudan on Monday night to sec­ure the release of a group of Ch­inese workers abducted last week.

At least 29 Chinese workers were kidnapped on the afternoon of January 28 from the project site of a Chinese company in the volatile South Kordofan area of Sudan.

“…the project site was attacked by local militants and some Chinese nationals went missing,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Reports said the Chinese workers were abdu­cted by the Sudan People’s Lib­eration Movement-North forces.

The Chinese state news agency reported that there were 47 Chinese workers at the camp when the attack took place. Of these, 29 were abducted and 18 fled, it said.

“The task force is to assist the rescue work in Sudan. China calls on relevant parties to keep calm and exercise restraint, ensure the safety of the Chinese nationals and release them as soon as possible on the basis of humanitarianism,” the statement added.

Following the incident, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Sudan immediately launched the emergency mechanism.

The BBC reported that recently the country’s Ministry of Commerce had warned firms in Sudan of security risks. “Chinese companies should closely monitor changes in the country’s security situation and take stronger precautions to ensure the safety of lives and property,” the BBC quoted a statement from the ministry.

First Published: Jan 31, 2012 23:28 IST