Nairobi/Khartoum - Three western hostages who work for international aid organization Doctors Without Borders are free after being kidnapped earlier this week in western Sudan, according to government and organization sources.

Quoting a government official, the Sudan Tribune reported the release Saturday without citing any further details. The news was confirmed by the Italian foreign ministry and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), as Doctors Without Borders is formally known.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the released workers are healthy and on their way back to Khartoum. No ransom was paid for their release, he said.

MSF confirmed the release to the Belgian news agency Belga.

On Friday, the Italian government had announced the release of the Canadian nurse, Italian physician and a French coordinator, but then had to withdraw its announcement.

The three were kidnapped late Wednesday or early Thursday. They had worked in Serif Umra in the province of North Darfur for the Belgian section of the aid organization.

The Sudanese government earlier this month withdrew permissions for Doctors Without Borders to operate in Sudan after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. (dpa)