SANA'A: A Norwegian national, kidnapped by Yemeni tribesmen almost two weeks ago, has been released and is in good shape, tribal sources said on Friday. “The Norwegian man has been safely set free after successful negotiations. He was handed over to the chief of (the eastern province of) Mareb Thursday night,” Sheikh Sultan al-Arada, who led the negotiations, told the Yemeni website Mareb Press. Armed tribesmen had kidnapped Gert Danielsen, who worked for the United Nations Development Programme, on January 15 from a street in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, and taken him to Mareb. Tribesmen and Islamic militants have kidnapped a number of foreigners in recent months, including a French aid worker and her Yemeni driver and translator in late November last year. On November 14 last year, three French hostages kidnapped by al-Qaeda militants were also released after five months in captivity. Tribes in Yemen often kidnap foreigners to pressure the authorities into making concessions. More than 200 foreigners have been abducted over the past 15 years, with almost all of them later freed unharmed. Tensions continue to remain high in Yemen after an immunity deal agreed to by the government of soon-to-be ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh was achieved. Activists have already spoken out against the deal and have called for Saleh to face trial for killing protesters in the country. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/7PYdX Tags: Kidnapping, Norway Section: Latest News, Yemen
