Khartoum, March 22 (IANS): The Rebels of Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector on Saturday said they were ready to release 20 soldiers of the Sudanese army held by the movement.

"The movement is ready to meet with the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to work together on the necessary procedures to transport 20 prisoners of war belonging to the government forces," said the SPLM/northern sector in a statement, Xinhua reported.

The Sudanese government has never said it had 20 prisoners of war held by the SPLM/northern sector.

The Sudanese officials and the Sudanese army could not immediately be contacted to comment on the rebels' claims.

The SPLM/northern sector has been fighting the Sudanese army at South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas since 2011.

In November last year, Sudan's Defence Minister Abdul-Rahim Mohamed Hussein declared a major military campaign to end the rebellion in Sudan's Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions.