JUBA, Oct. 25, (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's national security service on Thursday freed the last batch of prisoners of war (PoWs), political detainees in compliance with the presidential directive in line with a peace deal signed in September.
The Internal Security Bureau (ISB) said the release of the last remaining five POWs and detainees is part of trust building within the parties to the Sept. 12 deal.
"The South Sudan National Security Service (SSNSS) and Internal Security Bureau (ISB) do hereby inform the general public and the media that today, set free the prisoners of war, political detainees who were arrested and detained in connection to the insurgency and rebellion against the state," ISB said in a statement issued in Juba.
It said the latest developments resonate with the parties' quest for peace building in the country.
Marko Lokidor Lochapio, who spoke on behalf of the released five POWs and political detainees, expressed their gratitude to President Salva Kiir for his directive to release all the detainees in the country.
"Today we are very grateful as political detainees and we also want to thank the national security institution for protecting all the detainees," Lokidor said.
"We are happy for the signing of the revitalized agreement," he added.
Lokidor urged the international community, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to fully support the implementation of the peace deal.
The government and several rebel groups on Sept. 12 signed a new power-sharing deal aimed at ending five years of conflict that has devastated the world's youngest nation.
The pact demanded the parties to free all prisoners detained in relation to the conflict.
South Sudan's national security service early this month said it had freed at least 20 detainees following the signing of the peace agreement.
South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.
The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. A peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed in July 2016, following renewed violence in the capital, Juba.
