U.S. Contacts Sudan Rebels on Captive Americans, Briton

The United States said Thursday it had contacted anti-government guerrillas in Sudan in a bid to help free three American teachers and a British nurse abducted in southern Sudan.

Gunmen claiming to belong to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army kidnaped Americans Steve Anderson, Katherine Taylor and Mark Nikkel along with Briton Heather Sinclair on Tuesday.

“We are in contact with representatives of the SPLA. We have asked the SPLA high command to immediately investigate the incident and take steps to free the hostages,” State Department spokesman Charles Redman told reporters.

Government authorities in the region are also trying to locate the captives.