Five United Nations staff have been abducted in southern Yemen while returning to Aden after a field mission, the United Nations said on Saturday.
The officials said the workers were abducted in the southern province of Abyan late on Friday and taken to an unknown location. They include four Yemenis and a foreigner, they said.
"The United Nations is in close contact with the authorities to secure their release," said Russell Geekie, spokesman for the top U.N. official in Yemen.
The Yemeni government confirmed that the workers with the UN Department of Security and Safety were abducted by unknown armed men, adding that it was working to secure their release. It didn’t provide further details.
Abductions are frequent in Yemen, an impoverished nation where armed tribesmen and al-Qaida-linked militants take hostages to swap for prisoners or cash.
The officials said the workers were abducted in the southern province of Abyan late on Friday and taken to an unknown location. They include four Yemenis and a foreigner, they said.
"The United Nations is in close contact with the authorities to secure their release," said Russell Geekie, spokesman for the top U.N. official in Yemen.
The Yemeni government confirmed that the workers with the UN Department of Security and Safety were abducted by unknown armed men, adding that it was working to secure their release. It didn’t provide further details.
Abductions are frequent in Yemen, an impoverished nation where armed tribesmen and al-Qaida-linked militants take hostages to swap for prisoners or cash.
