Tribal efforts fail to release UN staff members abducted by al-Qaeda

ABYAN, Feb. 18 (YPA) – Tribal efforts to release kidnapped UN staff members from al-Qaeda in Yemen’s southern Province of Abyan have failed .

This was reported by Yemen News Portal, based on testimonies of local sources.

According to the sources, al-Qaeda refused to release the five abductees and demanded a ransom in addition to releasing its detained members.

Al-Qaeda threatened to kill the abductees, four Yemenis and a Bulgarian, if their demands were not met, the sources said.

On 11 February, five UN staff members, (four Yemenis and a Bulgarian) were abducted in an area between the Lawdar and Mudiyah districts in central Abyan province, while on their way to the city of Aden coming from Shabwah province, eastern Yemen.

E.M