French hostage freed in Yemen: official

A French woman and her translator have been released in Yemen after being held for more than three weeks, a security official told Xinhua on Thursday.

The French national, Isabelle Prime, and her Yemeni translator, Shereen Makawi, arrived safely in Sanaa on Thursday morning, escorted by tribal mediators, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The two women, who were working for an international aid organization, were abducted on their way to work in central Sanaa on Feb. 24.

Makawi's family have confirmed that she and Prime have arrived in Sanaa.

Security in the Arab country worsened after the Shiite Houthi group took over control of Sanaa last September after deadly clashes with government forces.

More than 10 countries, including France, have announced the closure of their diplomatic missions in Sanaa since early last month and evacuated their diplomatic staff, citing security concerns. They also demand the immediate departure of their citizens from Yemen.

Yemen has seen persistent unrest since 2011 when mass protests forced former President Ali Abdullash Saleh to step down, which created a power vacuum the boosted the influence of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most active terrorist groups in the Middle East.

Foreigners, especially people from Western countries, are frequently kidnapped by al-Qaida militants and tribesmen in Yemen. Most of the hostages were released unharmed after ransoms were paid. Endit