Sankoh orders RUF commanders to release prisoners

The leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Foday Sankoh, has instructed his commanders to release all remaining prisoners of war and non-combatants in compliance with a 2 June statement issued jointly with the government and in the spirit of the 7 July peace agreement. His message was radioed on Wednesday to the United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit (HACU) with the request that it be disseminated to the government, the UN Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL), ECOMOG High Command, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the wider community. Sankoh hoped the ICRC would become involved in the release process, according to the radio message.