THE International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said today that it had facilitated the release of 125 Sudanese army soldiers held captive by the country’s rival paramilitary force.

The soldiers walked free on Wednesday, the ICRC said, as the violent conflict between the army, led by General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, entered its 11th week.

The freed soldiers were transported from the capital, Khartoum, to the city of Wad Madani, 100 miles to the south, the ICRC said in a short statement. It remains unclear where the 125 men were being held.

Jean Christophe Sandoz, ICRC’s head of delegation in Sudan, said: “This positive step means that families will be celebrating Eid-al Adha with their loved ones.”

The RSF claims to have detained hundreds of army soldiers since the fighting broke out. Interviews with army detainees feature prominently on the paramilitary’s social media, with soldiers — who often appear bruised and frightened — telling their families they are being treated well by their RSF captors.

Fighting between the rival forces broke out on April 15 and has killed more than 3,000 people, the country’s Health Ministry said.

Over 2.5 million people have been displaced, according to the latest United Nations figures.