11.   The others were being held in far-flung prisons across this sprawling country and their immediate status was unclear.

12.   The prisoners were being held in far-flung jails across this sprawling West African country and it was not immediately clear exactly when they would return home.

13.   The rebels have captured large swathes of territory in the sprawling Central African country since the uprising began last August.

14.   The seven men and one woman were being held in prisons spread across the sprawling West African country and their status was not completely clear.

15.   The status of the others, held in far-flung prisoners across this sprawling West African country, was not immediately clear.

16.   While much attention has focused on the media struggles in the Russian capital, press freedom in much of the rest of the sprawling country is seen as declining.

17.   Agreement for the return operation was given Saturday by the Zairean rebels who have in the past six months seized more than a third of the sprawling country.

18.   But no progress has been reported on the planned demobilisation of the rival armies and the formation of a new joint defence force in the sprawling southern African country.

19.   The sprawling neighbouring country hosts more than a million Hutu refugees from Burundi and Rwanda.