SOMALIA: Foreign aid workers freed in Somalia-NGO source

Two foreign aid workers kidnapped last week in northern Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region are freed by their captors. They say they were treated well by their captors. Two foreign aid workers kidnapped by gunmen last week in northern Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region have been freed by their captors, an aid agency source said on Tuesday (May 15). The two men, a Briton and a Kenyan, were handed over to elders after negotiations and were good health, the source said. Both men worked for CARE International and were abducted last week. Shortly after arriving at the presidential palace in Puntland, British hostage Graem Watson, whose left leg was bandaged, indicated that they had been well treated. The second released hostage, Kenyan Fred Maingi, added that it had been "a difficult time", and he was relieved to be free. The leader of the kidnappers said on Tuesday the relief workers were being held until "minor" political problems were resolved with the Puntland authorities. The man, who identified himself only as Mohamed, told Reuters by satellite telephone from an undisclosed location the aid workers would be held "until those grievances are fully addressed". There had been suggestions that the aid workers were seized to be used as a bargaining chip in a dispute between fishermen and the local authorities over impounded fishing vessels. On Sunday (May 13) the captors had threatened to kill the two men if the Puntland authorities tried to rescue them. EC/AD

ITN Source | May 17, 2007

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