Kidnappers hand over U.S. couple to authorities
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Yemeni tribal kidnappers on Monday handed over a U.S. couple along with two Yemeni escorts, who were abducted early on the same day near Sanaa, the capital of Yemen to the local authorities, a Yemeni security official of the Interior Ministry told Xinhua by phone.
"The tribesmen have already handed over the American tourist couple to the local government authorities after the security forces arrested a number of tribesmen as hostages to press the release of the abducted foreigners," he said on condition of anonymity.
Two Yemeni escorts, a driver and a translator who accompanied the abducted U.S. couple were also handed over to the local authorities, said the official.
"There was not any political motive behind the incident, and security and local authorities have taken control over the matter after arresting many the tribal men to make sure about the safety of the abducted couple," said the security official.
Earlier on Monday, a security official in Sanaa told Xinhua that two western tourists, considered as a husband and a wife from the United States, along with their Yemeni driver were kidnapped by tribal gunmen in Bani Mansour area, some 70 km to the west of Sanaa, when they were on their way from Sanaa to the western province of Hudaydah.
The official said tribal gunmen kidnapped the group to press the Yemeni government to release one of their relatives, who was jailed months ago in the Sana Central Prison for criminal links.
A spokesman of U.S. embassy in Sanaa declined to confirm the news, nor to deny it, but told Xinhua by phone that embassy officials are contacting the Yemeni security authorities to get more details on the case.
In Yemen, kidnapping foreigners is a common practice as tribesmen in the lawless areas often resort to such act to force the government to meet their demands.
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