The released soldier and civilians. Credit: Abel Mathew/facebook.

A soldier and two civilians who were allegedly kidnapped by Congolese army in Gbudue State nearly a month ago have been released after their family paid a ransom of $1,600.

The three were allegedly kidnapped on October 21 while logging for an army general at Sakura area along the South Sudan-D.R.C border.

The three were freed on Monday after a sum of $1,600 was paid to the kidnappers, according to the army general Abel Mathew.

“There was one SSPDF soldier and two civilians who were abducted by the Congolese army at the border in Sakure, we have been struggling to find a way to bring them back but they were released and brought back to South Sudan after paying all their demands,” Brigadier General Mathew said.

“I paid 1,600 dollars and up to now, there is still more money being demanded because they were arrested with two motorbikes and one sawing machine.”

Brigadier Mathew vowed to continue with the logging business despite the kidnapping.

“I cannot stop because you that is what we do for survival,” Abel said. “I could stop if it was in Congo but we were operating within our country.”

The mother of the SSPDF private identified as Marko Samuel Toto said she is happy to receive her son back.

“He arrived on Monday and I was so excited because we had even mourned him here,” Hellen Rumano said.

“He was actually beaten and tortured however he is not yet recovered well,” she added.

Efforts to get a comment from Gbudue State state authority were not immediate successful.