This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26738310
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Yemen kidnap victims freed in capital Sanaa | Yemen kidnap victims freed in capital Sanaa |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Security forces have freed two UN employees kidnapped by gunmen in Yemen's capital Sanaa. | Security forces have freed two UN employees kidnapped by gunmen in Yemen's capital Sanaa. |
| They were seized from their car just hours earlier, in the Hada neighbourhood, where several embassies are located. | They were seized from their car just hours earlier, in the Hada neighbourhood, where several embassies are located. |
| The pair are believed to be an Italian man and his Yemeni driver. | The pair are believed to be an Italian man and his Yemeni driver. |
| Kidnapping is common in Yemen, where the government is struggling to contain an al-Qaeda-linked insurgency and a separatist movement. | Kidnapping is common in Yemen, where the government is struggling to contain an al-Qaeda-linked insurgency and a separatist movement. |
| Security forces arrested two of the four kidnappers, Yemeni intelligence sources told the BBC. The freed pair are said to be in good health. | Security forces arrested two of the four kidnappers, Yemeni intelligence sources told the BBC. The freed pair are said to be in good health. |
| There has been a spate of kidnappings recently. In February, a Czech doctor, a German, a British oil worker and a British teacher were also seized. | There has been a spate of kidnappings recently. In February, a Czech doctor, a German, a British oil worker and a British teacher were also seized. |
| Hostage-taking in Yemen is sometimes carried out by militants aiming to intimidate Westerners, and sometimes by opportunists hoping to sell hostages on to other groups, but most commonly as a tactic by tribesmen to resolve disputes with the government, observers say. | Hostage-taking in Yemen is sometimes carried out by militants aiming to intimidate Westerners, and sometimes by opportunists hoping to sell hostages on to other groups, but most commonly as a tactic by tribesmen to resolve disputes with the government, observers say. |
| Most of those are freed unharmed after short periods of captivity. | Most of those are freed unharmed after short periods of captivity. |
| Those captured by militants face a more uncertain fate. | Those captured by militants face a more uncertain fate. |
| Al-Qaeda's Yemeni affiliate has been holding a South African teacher since May last year. It is also still holding a Saudi deputy consul kidnapped in 2012. | Al-Qaeda's Yemeni affiliate has been holding a South African teacher since May last year. It is also still holding a Saudi deputy consul kidnapped in 2012. |
| An Iranian embassy member of staff, Nour-Ahmad Nikbakht, also remains in captivity after being abducted by suspected al-Qaeda militants in July. | An Iranian embassy member of staff, Nour-Ahmad Nikbakht, also remains in captivity after being abducted by suspected al-Qaeda militants in July. |
| Yemen has long wrestled with instability, internal conflicts and poor governance. | |
| It is engaged in a rocky political transition since long-time autocrat Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down in 2012 following mass protests. | It is engaged in a rocky political transition since long-time autocrat Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down in 2012 following mass protests. |