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Somalia's al-Shabab frees Kenya's Mule and Wainana | Somalia's al-Shabab frees Kenya's Mule and Wainana |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Two Kenyan hostages have been reunited with their families after being freed by militant Islamists in Somalia. | Two Kenyan hostages have been reunited with their families after being freed by militant Islamists in Somalia. |
Yesse Mule and Fredrick Wainana were abducted from the Kenyan town of Gerille in January 2012 by fighters of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group. | Yesse Mule and Fredrick Wainana were abducted from the Kenyan town of Gerille in January 2012 by fighters of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group. |
Mr Mule told the BBC they moved to 19 different locations, and were kept chained and blindfolded in Somalia throughout their captivity. | Mr Mule told the BBC they moved to 19 different locations, and were kept chained and blindfolded in Somalia throughout their captivity. |
Kenya denied paying a ransom for the release of the government officials. | Kenya denied paying a ransom for the release of the government officials. |
Al-Shabab has taken numerous foreigners hostage, including the French spy Denis Allex who was executed in January after a botched French operation to rescue him. | Al-Shabab has taken numerous foreigners hostage, including the French spy Denis Allex who was executed in January after a botched French operation to rescue him. |
Mr Mule and Mr Wainana were seized some three months after Kenyan troops entered Somalia to fight al-Shabab. | Mr Mule and Mr Wainana were seized some three months after Kenyan troops entered Somalia to fight al-Shabab. |
'Padlocked' | 'Padlocked' |
Its troops are currently part of the African Union (AU) force helping the UN-backed Somali government fend off threats by the al-Qaeda-linked group to overthrow it. | |
The BBC's Idris Situma reports from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, that there were emotional scenes when the freed hostages were reunited with their families and friends at a thanksgiving ceremony on Thursday. | The BBC's Idris Situma reports from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, that there were emotional scenes when the freed hostages were reunited with their families and friends at a thanksgiving ceremony on Thursday. |
Al-Shabab had handed them over a day earlier to traditional elders who had negotiated their release, Mr Mule said. | Al-Shabab had handed them over a day earlier to traditional elders who had negotiated their release, Mr Mule said. |
Mr Mule was the Wajir County district officer and Mr Wainana a government clerk when they were captured during an attack by about 100 al-Shabab fighters on a police camp in Gerille, a town on the Kenya-Somalia border. | Mr Mule was the Wajir County district officer and Mr Wainana a government clerk when they were captured during an attack by about 100 al-Shabab fighters on a police camp in Gerille, a town on the Kenya-Somalia border. |
Eight Kenyans were killed during the raid. | Eight Kenyans were killed during the raid. |
Recalling the ordeal, Mr Mule told the BBC: "It was one of the worst moments. You are not sure about your life. You don't know what will happen in the next second or minute." | Recalling the ordeal, Mr Mule told the BBC: "It was one of the worst moments. You are not sure about your life. You don't know what will happen in the next second or minute." |
He and Mr Wainana were taken to Somalia where their captors moved them from place to place, he said. | He and Mr Wainana were taken to Somalia where their captors moved them from place to place, he said. |
"Every room within a house is a cell. You are blindfolded and chained. Both hands are padlocked to your legs," Mr Mule added. | "Every room within a house is a cell. You are blindfolded and chained. Both hands are padlocked to your legs," Mr Mule added. |
Mr Mule said he and Mr Wainana were not afraid to return to their jobs, but the government had given them the option of being transferred to a different region. | Mr Mule said he and Mr Wainana were not afraid to return to their jobs, but the government had given them the option of being transferred to a different region. |
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