Annan calls for early release of Moroccans remaining under detention in Algeria

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, on Monday hailed the release of 101 Moroccans who were detained on Algerian territory and called for the early release of the remaining 1,260 prisoners

Annan welcomed, in a press release, the liberation and repatriation on Sunday of 101 Moroccans and called on the Algeria-backed separatist Polisario which is claiming the independence of Moroccan southern provinces to "move towards an early release of the remaining 1,260 POWs."

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which supervised the repatriation of the group of Moroccans some of whom are "sick and elderly" says it remained concerned about the plight of 1,260 Moroccans still held captive and views the repatriation as a step towards the release of all prisoners.

Some of the soldiers captured between 1975 and 1991 have been held for more than two decades, and the ICRC says they are the world's longest-held prisoners of war.