The Sudanese army said that they had coordinated with Egypt to free the foreign hostages and their Egyptian guides abducted last week.

The Director of Military Security Ibrahim Nassir said yesterday in a press conference that the leader of the kidnappers and five others were killed during the clashes.

He said six soldiers were wounded among them a First Lieutenant Officer.

Mr. Nassir accused the Sudan Liberation Movement and the SLM-Unity faction of involvement in the operation.

In the press conference, the State Minister of Information and Communication, Kamal Obeid, described the abduction as an act of terror, saying some Zionist organizations are working to destabilize security in Darfur.

Meanwhile, Germany's Minister of Interior, August Heining, said in a statement for N.TV that the Sudanese army killed and detained some of the kidnappers but the rest of them released the hostages on their own accord. 

On the other hand, the Sudan Armed Forces has denied a statement by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) saying that the security organs were involved in shooting the UNAMID helicopter near Kalma IDP camp on Sunday.

Lt. Colonel Al Sawarmi Khalid Saad, Director of SAF Spokesperson's office, told Miraya FM that JEM's accusations are unfounded and premature.

He added that a committee has been formed to probe the incident.

The Spokesperson of the Justice and Equality Movement, Ahmed Hussein, had earlier said the security is behind the attack on the UNAMID helicopter.

The incident killed the four crew members of the plane, including three Russian pilots.

Russian Foreign Ministry meanwhile said that it will launch an investigation on the death of the Russian pilots.