KHARTOUM, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) announced that four peacekeepers from South Africa were safely released on Monday after being held in captivity in western Sudan for 16 days.

"We are grateful to have our colleagues back with us. This day would not have been possible, had it not been for the good cooperation of the Sudanese government and the local authorities of South Darfur," said UNAMID chief Ibrahim Gambari in a statement.

"I am proud of the courage and resilience displayed by our colleagues throughout these trying circumstances," said Gambari, adding that, "I certainly hope that this is the last time that peacekeepers, both military, police and civilians, who are here to bring peace and stability to the people of Darfur, are subjected to such unacceptable ordeals."

The news came a day after a meeting held between Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Gambari, at which the Sudanese leader had pledged to do everything possible to assist in bringing about the safe return of the UNAMID personnel.

The statement noted that after undergoing medical examinations, the four released persons, who serve as police advisors in the 26, 000-strong UNAMID, will fly to their home country, where they will be reunited with their families.

The four peacekeepers, two men and two women, were abducted in Nyala on April 11, but the statement did not disclose the identifications of the kidnappers.

The UNAMID took over the peacekeeping mission from the poorly- equipped African Union peacekeeping forces on Dec. 31, 2007 in order to monitor a fragile ceasefire between Sudanese armed forces and rebel groups in Darfur where bloody clashes have lasted for seven years.