Ukrainian rebels free four hostages

Ukrainian rebels free four hostages

FOR NVO USE ONLY, SENT TO RREP IN ERRORbr br ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATIONbr br Rebels in southeast Ukraine early on Friday (June 27) released four out of eight international observers, captured over a month ago, in an apparent goodwill gesture that could help pave the way to a resolution of the conflict that has so far claimed hundreds of lives.br br Pro-Russian separatists had detained eight observers from the Vienna-based Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a key security and rights body, tasked with monitoring an agreement drafted in Switzerland in April to de-escalate the crisis that has pitted the rebels against leaders in Kiev.br br Four observers from Switzerland, Turkey, Estonia and Denmark, part of the 100-strong mission, were brought by heavily armed rebels to a hotel in downtown Donetsk, where they were handed over to their colleagues.br br Another four remain in rebel captivity in the neighbouring Luhansk region.


User: Reuters

Views: 57

Uploaded: 2014-06-27

Duration: 00:39