Sudan - UN - killings

The UN yesterday endorsed the call of the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate the deaths last week of four persons who were in the custody of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army. The four included three Sudanese government officials and a representative of the Sudanese Red Crescent society.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said, "It is particularly disturbing that they died despite numerous appeals to their captors to ensure their physical safety." The four were detained by the SPLA while on mission near the southern Sudanese town of Bentiu on February 18.