Armed tribesmen release 9 hostages in Yemen's south

ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni armed tribesmen released nine hostages, including five Syrian truck drivers, on Saturday, five days after they were kidnapped by a group of tribal fighters in the restive southern province of Lahj, a government official told Xinhua.

"The local authorities conducted negotiations with tribal abductors and reached to a swap deal. A number of security officials in Lahj promised the armed tribesmen to free 13 of their clansmen detained in the central jail," the government official said on condition of anonymity.

"About five Syrian truck drivers and four other Yemenis have been freed. All of them are in good health and unharmed," the official said, adding that "the governor of Lahj province played a vital role during the negotiations with the abductors."

On Monday, a group of armed tribesmen who demanded the government authorities to free their imprisoned kinsmen kidnapped five Syrian and four Yemeni truck drivers while they were travelling on a main highway in Lahj province.

The tribesmen kidnapped the drivers in order to press the authorities to free their kinsmen who had been arrested following armed clashes with police troops, according to a security source.

Kidnapping of foreigners is common in Yemen as the impoverished Arab country has been experiencing a fragile security situation since massive anti-government protests broke out last year, which unseated long-time leader Ali Abdullah Saleh earlier this year.

Most of the abducted foreigners have later been freed unharmed.

A Saudi diplomat and a Swiss female national have been held hostage by the Yemeni branch of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) since March. The militants have demanded the Yemeni government offer a ransom and set free their jailed followers in return for the release of abducted foreigners.

Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has launched reforms in the army and security institution, vowing to restore security and uproot the resurgent al-Qaida militants. Enditem

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