Yemeni official says efforts continuing to free German hostages

Apr 11, 2010, 20:50 GMT

Sana'a, Yemen - A senior Yemeni security official said on Sunday that efforts to free a German family of five and a British engineer held hostage in northern Yemen were going on, the state news agency Saba reported.

'Efforts are continuing in coordination with the German and British government to secure their release and end their suffering,' Deputy Prime Minister for Defence and Security Rashad al-Alimi said, as quoted by Saba.

He made the remarks during an interview in Sana'a with a group of visiting foreign journalists.

A German couple, their three children and a British engineer were among a group of foreign hostages - seven Germans, a Briton and a South Korean - abducted by unknown armed men in the north-western province of Saada in June 2009.

Three of the hostages - two German women and a South Korean female teacher - were found dead two days after the abduction.

The abduction took place as fighting flared in Saada province between government forces and Shiite rebels, who denied government accusations that they were behind the abduction.

No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, but the kidnappers are believed to be linked to al-Qaeda

On March 15, Yemen's Interior Ministry said in a statement that security authorities 'have not lost hope' to find the hostages alive.

The hostages are believed to be held now in a desert area between Saada and neighbouring al-Jawf province.