A French staffer with the Red Cross who was kidnapped in Yemen in April was released two days ago and is now at the organisation's local headquarters in Sanaa, a government official said Saturday. "The Frenchman was released two days ago and is now in the Red Cross headquarters in Sanaa from where he will travel" home, the official said.
Earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced the release of Benjamin Malbrancke, abducted by gunmen on April 21 while on his way to the airport in the northern port city of Hudaida.
Two drivers captured at the same time were freed shortly afterwards. "We are relieved and extremely happy that our colleague is back with us and in good health," a statement quoted Yemen director of operations Eric Marclay as saying. He expressed his "profound gratitude to all those who gave us their support over these long weeks and have helped to enable Benjamin to rejoin his family soon".
An ICRC spokesman told AFP Malbrancke had arrived in Sanaa and would be flown to France as soon as possible. The Yemeni official said Malbrancke, released through tribal mediation, had been held in a mountainous region between the provinces of Shabwa and Abyan across the south.