Officials said yesterday that no progress has been made in negotiations to secure the release of five Italian tourists held hostage by tribesmen in northeastern Yemen, as the army deployed more troops to tighten the noose on the kidnappers. âNegotiations are under way, but no progress has been made yet, because they (the kidnappers) are insisting on their illegal and unacceptable demands,â Adnan Sinan Abu-Luhoum, deputy governor of Marib, told Arab News. Army forces are tightening the grip on the area and, according to Abu-Luhoum, the situation is under control.| If the situation was under control they'd have been released by now... |
A top local official said Italian Ambassador Mario Boffo had blocked an assault by security forces to release the hostages. âAfter a number of tribal leaders failed (in the mediation efforts), the Yemeni authorities seriously considered to launch a military operation against the hostage-takers to free the hostages,â said the official. âThe security and military plan was ready, but the Italian ambassador opposed military intervention, fearing for their (hostages) lives,â he said on condition of anonymity. The hostage-takers have issued two warnings that they would execute the hostages if such an assault took place.
Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Finni confirmed, in a statement issued in Rome, that his government had requested âno action be taken that could endanger the securityâ of the hostages. The message was delivered to Yemeni authorities through Italyâs ambassador, he said.