The Eritrean government says it's released a journalist who's been held for 20 months without charge.

The journalist, Ruth Simon, was detained in April last year after she quoted President Afewerki as saying that Eritrean troops were fighting alongside rebels in southern Sudan.

Mr Aferwerki later denied making the statement.

Ruth Simon was a well-known fighter in the Eritrean guerrilla army which won independence from Ethiopia in 1993.