Voice of America, 26 August 2008

Hijackers who forced a Sudanese plane to land in Libya have released all of the plane's estimated 100 passengers.

Libyan aviation officials say the hijackers released the hostages after negotiations began Wednesday -- but the crew members of the plane are still on board with the hijackers.

It is still unclear who the hijackers are, and why they hijacked the Boeing 737 bound from Sudan's troubled Darfur region to the capital, Khartoum.

After taking control of the plane, the hijackers landed in Libya Tuesday and demanded the plane be refueled so that they could fly on to Paris.

AFP reports the hijackers told the pilot they belong to a Darfur rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdul-Wahid Nour. But the rebel group denies any link to the hijacking.

The hijacked plane took off just outside the Darfur town of Kalma, where government forces raided a displaced persons camp on Monday.

Libyan officials say they allowed the plane to land at an airport in the town of Kufra, after the pilot signaled that the plane was low on fuel.

The plane is owned by private Sudanese company Sun Air.