Somalia - French hostages

French agent abducted in Somalia freed

Article published on the 2009-08-26 Latest update 2009-08-27 11:08 TU

Somali government soldiers patrol in the capital Mogadishu on 22 August, 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

One of the two French agents abducted in Somalia last month has been freed, according to the Somali Information Minister, after earlier telling reporters that both men were freed.

The French Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that one of the hostages is free.

"We confirm that one of the two French nationals who was taken hostage in Mogadishu is now under the protection of the Somali Federal Transition Government and is safe," said Ministry spokesperson Eric Chevallier in a statement.

"His release took place without violence, contrary to certain suggestions made locally," it said, without giving more details.

A Somali official and a source from one of the Islamist militias in the country told the AFP news agency that a ransom had been paid to members of the Hizbul Islam group so they would set free the hostage.

Earlier, local police said that as the former hostage had killed three of his captors before managing to escape.

"We understand he killed three al-Shebab members who were guarding him," senior police officer Abdiqadir Odweyne told the Reuters news agency.

The other agent is believed to be held by the al-Shebab group.

The two French nationals were abducted from their hotel rooms in the capital, Mogadishu, on 14 July.

It was initially reported that the pair were journalists, but the French Foreign Ministry later confirmed that they had been working with the federal transition government on “security matters”.

Al-Shebab had said the two men would be tried under Sharia Law, and it was also suggested that they might have been held in return for the release of Somali pirates jailed in France.

The transitional government is battling to cope with an insurgency led by al-Shebab and another group, Hizbul Islam.