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French tourists 'freed' in Yemen French tourists released in Yemen
(about 10 hours later)
Four French tourists abducted in Yemen have been freed, said an MP who had been mediating their release. France has confirmed that four tourists kidnapped in Yemen have been released, 15 days after they were taken hostage in Shabwa province, east of Sanaa.
Awad Bawazir said the four had been delivered into his care by the kidnappers, 15 days after they were seized en route to Aden in a convoy. They were freed following negotiations with the kidnappers, who demanded the release of several jailed relatives.
Reports say the abduction in Shabwa province was intended to secure the release of imprisoned relatives. It was not immediately clear whether the kidnappers' demands had been met.
French officials have not confirmed the resolution of the abduction, the latest in a spate of kidnappings in Yemen. The French tourists were the latest in a long line of foreigners kidnapped by Yemeni tribesmen seeking concessions from the government.
"After hard and tiring negotiations throughout the night, an agreement was reached to free the hostages," Mr Bawazir said in a phonecall with AP. Earlier, MP Awad Bawazir, who had been mediating with the kidnappers from the al-Abdullah tribe, told reporters by phone that the four had been delivered into his care.
He did not reveal the terms of any agreement with the al-Abdullah tribe, whose members seized the tourists. "After hard and tiring negotiations throughout the night, an agreement was reached to free the hostages," Mr Bawazir said.
A French diplomat said the French nationals were then taken to a military base near Sanaa by helicopter.
After that they "rested at the ambassador's residence in Sanaa" and were in good health, the diplomat told AFP news agency.
In the long history of tribal kidnappings of foreigners in Yemen, hostages have almost always been released unharmed within a few days.In the long history of tribal kidnappings of foreigners in Yemen, hostages have almost always been released unharmed within a few days.