Photo|Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced the successful release of 27 youths from Eastern Equatoria State who had been detained in Ethiopia for almost a year.

The ministry confirmed the development in an official post on its Facebook Page on Saturday.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in close coordination with the Office of the Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programs and the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Addis Ababa, has successfully facilitated the release of the South Sudanese youth from Mizan Aman Prison in the South West Region of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia,” partly reads the statement.

According to the Ministry, the group is expected to arrive in Juba today at 3:30 PM aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

They will be accompanied by Amb. Deng Obed Madol, Deputy Head of Mission of the Republic of South Sudan to Ethiopia, who signed the release documents for the 27 youth on behalf of the Government of South Sudan.

Commander Getnet Fekadu Agafari, Head of Mizan Prison, represented the Federal Republic of Ethiopia during the handover.

Their return marks the culmination of months of diplomatic negotiations between the South Sudanese Embassy in Addis Ababa and Ethiopian authorities.

The youths were arrested after allegedly crossing the international border into Ethiopia while armed, a situation that led to their immediate detention by Ethiopian security forces.

In early September, Ambassador Apuk Ayuel Mayen, the Ministry’s spokesperson, said the South Sudanese Embassy had been actively holding discussions with Ethiopian officials to secure the youths’ release.
She emphasized that persistent diplomatic engagement eventually resulted in a positive outcome.

Earlier in September, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore, confirmed that the detainees had been in custody since December last year.

Speaking to Eye Radio in a telephone interview at the time, Governor Lobong said he had received firm assurances from national authorities that the youths would return within the week—though the process faced delays before finally being completed.