Three German Hostages Released in Yemen

Kidnappers have released three Germans abducted in Yemen after the Yemeni government agreed to meet some of their conditions, including paying a ransom and releasing some tribesmen from prison.

A German aid worker and her mother and father, who are visiting her, arrived in the capital, San'a, and met with Yemen's Interior Minister, Mutahar Rashad al-Masri, and Germany's deputy ambassador to Yemen.

The three were kidnapped early this week by Bani Dhabyan tribesmen in a province located about 100 kilometers south of San'a.

The German deputy ambassador to Yemen applauded the resolution of the incident.

"I thank the government of Yemen on behalf of the government of Germany that they have made it possible that this affair - this unfortunate affair - has come to a happy conclusion. Thank you very much."

A mediator, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the Yemeni government paid a ransom of around 100 thousand U.S. dollars to the kidnappers.