Kenyan team in Somalia for talks to free aid workers

Kenyan team in Somalia for talks to free aid workers

Written By:Claire Wanja/AFP   , Posted: Mon, Jul 20, 2009

A Kenyan delegation comprising village elders began negotiations to free three foreign aid workers abducted at the weekend by Somali gunmen, police said Monday.

The delegation from Mandera, left for the Somalia side to seek the freedom of the foreigners.

Details of their nationality and employers have not been released.

"Six elders left Mandera last evening (Sunday) and are now in the Somalia side trying to negotiate the release of the foreigners," a senior police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"A meeting was held at the weekend in Mandera where it was agreed that diplomacy be used to resolve the matter," he added.

The official said no ransom has been demanded and "we hope they will not ask for money."

Two other kidnappings have been reported in the region in the past two years with the victims being released unharmed.

In March this year, four education officers and their driver were abducted by Somali militia but were later released.

The officials, who were attending school drama festivals in Garissa District, decided to visit the neighboring Mandera District on a shopping spree when they were taken hostage.

Earlier in November last year, two Italian nuns were kidnapped from the El Wak border town by heavily armed Somali gunmen.

The nuns, who were part of a missionary group providing health care in the region, were released after about four months in captivity.

http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=58704