Foreign hostage experts helping in bid to find Irish aid worker

Foreign diplomats who have worked on hostage situations have offered the Government advice and support in finding an Irish aid worker and her colleague abducted in Sudan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin today revealed Britain and France had been assisting in the hunt for Sharon Commins and Ugandan Hilda Kuwuki, now spending a fifth day as hostages.

The minister met Sudan’s Ambassador to Ireland and the UK Omer Mohamed Ahmed Siddig and claimed the east African country was doing all in its power to find the missing workers.

“We have received the strongest assurances from both the Ambassador and the Government of Sudan that no effort will be spared to secure the release of these two workers,” he said.

“Obviously we are particularly concerned about it. Our team on the ground are working effectively and continue to work on the ground with a variety of agencies and with the Government of Sudan.

“Other governments who have been through similar experiences have been helpful to us, the British Government in particular has been very helpful and the French Government.

“We are very grateful to those governments for the advise they have given us, the help and support they have given our team on the ground.”

Mr Martin said strong logistical support had also been received from the United Nations.

“It’s a very delicate situation and we are doing everything we possibly can and will to secure their release,” he said.

There has been no contact from Ms Commins or Ms Kuwuki since they were captured by a gang of armed men at a compound in the town of Kutum, northern Darfur, last Friday.

Mr Martin declined to speculate on reports that Sudanese authorities had identified an area where the Goal workers may have been taken.

Yesterday UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, on a two-day visit to Ireland, vowed no effort would be spared in finding the pair.

Mr Siddig will also be quizzed about efforts to locate the women when he appears before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee later today.