Austrian and his wife kidnapped in Yemen

Yemeni sources in Sanaa said that tribesmen kidnapped an Austrian tourist and his wife in El-Mohamed region while they were touring.

The sources said that the tribe carried out this kidnapping to pressure the Yemeni authorities to release tribe members who were arrested and sentenced to death according to the law issued recently.

The formal sources did not mention any other details.

There is no Austrian embassy in Yemen to get information on the persons who were kidnapped, but security sources confirmed that there are efforts underway to release the two.

This is the first kidnapping operation in Yemen since a law was issued sentencing to death anyone who kidnaps a tourist.