Rape of a child leads to US and Russian hostages
Yemen, Politics, 11/17/1997

Despite media reports last week that the hostages had already been released, ArabicNews.com has learned and confirmed that the negotiations are ongoing.

In the area of Al Heda'a in the Zammar province, 100 kilometers south of Sanaa, Yemeni mediators including a security official started their new attempt to win the freedom of the four Russians hostages.

The four Russians, who are doctors, were kidnapped by armed people from a tribe in that area 3 weeks ago.

The kidnappers are trying to pressure the Yemeni authorities to execute 4 Yemeni citizens accused of raping a child from their tribe more than one month ago in the province of Zammar.

The First Degree Court had sentenced one of the four Yemeni citizens to death, and ordered imprisonment and lashing for the others. The Court of Appeals later sentenced the four to death. When the First Degree Court stuck to its ruling, people in Al Heda'a area called on the authorities to carry out the ruling of the Court of Appeals. The Higher Court turned their request down which angered the tribesmen who started the kidnapping operations to pressure the Yemeni authorities to execute the accused.

ArabicNews.com has also found out that the new mediators include some of the heads of the tribe. The sources confirmed that the Yemeni officials are preparing the security forces to release the hostages if the mediation efforts failed.

The sources also confirmed that the Yemeni forces are ready to release the US hostage who has been in an area 160 kilometer north of Sanaa. Other mediators are trying to release the American hostage as well. The sources confirmed that the US and Russian hostages are in good health and are being treated well.

Previous Stories:
  Yemen criticizes American security warning to US citizens   (11/10/1997)
  Yemeni tribesmen release Briton, take American   (10/30/1997)
  Minister alleges Saudi support for Yemen kidnappings   (10/21/1997)

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