Kidnapped Chinese freed by Sudanese army

The Sudanese army has freed 14 Chinese construction workers abducted by militants in a remote region in the country's south.

The rescued workers were evacuated to the town of El Obeid, Ahmed Haroun, the governor of South Kordofan, said yesterday. It is not known how many workers remained captive, but the Chinese embassy in Khartoum said that 29 were taken during an attack near Abbasiya on Saturday. Mr Haroun said the army was trying to free the remaining workers.

Sudanese officials have blamed the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, a branch of a guerrilla movement which has fought Khartoum for decades.

AP