37 Sudanese miners released Friday
“Their release comes as part of an exchange of prisoners deal between Egyptian and Sudanese authorities”
Sudanese Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman speaks during a joint press conference with the chief of Sudan’s intelligence service Mohammed Atta (unseen) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 9, 2013. Sudan cancelled nine security and economic pacts with South Sudan, ending a brief interlude of harmonious relations after border clashes. “We will stop all nine agreements, not only oil,” Osman said at a press conference. AFP PHOTO/ASHRAF SHAZLY (Photo credit should read ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images)
The Interior Ministry announced Friday the release of 37 Sudanese men who were detained for allegedly crossing the Egyptian border illegally’ reports DailyNews, Egpty.
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi issued a presidency pardon for the prisoners as part of a prisoners exchange deal with Sudan.
For his part, Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir pardoned, in July, 101 Egyptian fishermen detained since April for allegedly trespassing into Sudanese territorial waters without permission.
The fishermen returned to Egypt earlier in August.
Sudanese Ambassador to Egypt Adel Mahmoud Abdel Halim said that Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb notified him that the decision to release the Sudanese miners was issued and that they were transported on Friday morning to Khartoum by a private jet, state-run Al-Ahram reported.