A Swedish engineer was released by armed tribesmen in southern Yemen late on Thursday after being briefly kidnapped, security sources said Friday, DPA reported.
The sources told the German Press Agency dpa that the engineer, who works for the al-Wahda cement plant in the southern province of Abyan, was released along with his Yemeni driver. Both were handed over to mediating tribal leaders.
Tribesmen had abducted the Swede at gunpoint Thursday afternoon, as he and the driver left the factory in the Ba-Tais district of Abyan. The kidnappers, which belong to the Al Ubad clan, then demanded the release of a clan member arrested in 2008 for murder.
It was not immediately clear whether their demand was met by authorities.
The kidnapping of foreigners is commonly used by Yemeni tribes in bids to put pressure on authorities to release jailed relatives.