South Sudan rebels free UN peacekeepers, but still hold contractors

Eighteen United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan were freed on Thursday after being held for three days by heavily armed rebels, but a dozen U.N. contractors who were operating a fuel barge have not yet been released, the world body said.

U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous spoke to opposition leader Riek Machar about the incident on Thursday. The United Nations also said it is "extremely concerned" about the South Sudanese crew of the fuel barge who were still being held.