Security officials say a Swedish national and his driver who were kidnapped by rustics in southern Yemen have been released.The officials in Abyan province say the two were released Friday after tribal mediation.
The Swedish man, an engineer at a cement factory in south Yemen, was kidnapped late Thursday by armed rustics who wanted to use a hostage to negotiate the release of a fellow tribe member who was sentenced to death in a Yemeni court.
| A Yemeni custom of centuries' duration. Respect the local culture, please. |
Abyan's deputy governor, Saleh Al-Shamsi, said the kidnappers were demanding the release of a fellow primitive jugged in Sanaa.
The Swede was in good health after his ordeal, the official added.
"The Swede was freed after the kidnappers received assurances from the local government that President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh would personally review the case of one of their clansmen," said the official.
A security official said earlier that the kidnappers were believed to be members of the Maraqish tribe, which has been campaigning for the release of a clansman on death row in Sanaa.