A group of Chinese workers kidnapped by rebels in Sudan's South Kordofan state 11 days ago were released Tuesday and flown to the Chinese embassy in Nairobi, a foreign ministry statement said.
The two US female tourists and their Egyptian guide who were kidnapped Friday morning in the Sinai have been released unharmed, security sources have said.
A south Sinai security official said Friday that unidentified gunmen had intercepted a tourist minivan and kidnapped two female American tourists and their Egyptian tour guide at gunpoint near St. Catherine's Monastery.
US special forces rescued two foreign hostages from Somali pirates in a Tuesday raid. American Jessica Buchanan and Danish national Poul Thisted were working for a Danish demining group when they were kidnapped in October.
A French hostage kidnapped in Niger last January by al Qaeda's North African wing was executed while another died when a vehicle in which he was riding was hit by arms fire, a jailed member of the group told France's "Liberation" daily.
The bodies of sixteen Pakistani troops who were kidnapped nearly two weeks ago were found Thursday in North Waziristan, officials said. The Tehreek-e-Taliban, a Pakistani militant alliance with al Qaeda links, has claimed responsibility.
Five years ago, Mexican President Felipe Caldéron launched a "crusade against the drug cartels" in a bid to reduce the consumption and trafficking of drugs. Despite these efforts there have been new outbreaks of violence in regions previously protected. One example is Acapulco whose crime rate has increased 350% in just one year. Three months ago, the Mexican government multiplied its efforts to protect its inhabitants, particularly in schools. Laurence Cuviller et Matthieu Comin report.
Five Iranian technicians have been kidnapped in Homs, a flashpoint city in Syria's nine-month protest movement, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
Al Qaeda's North African wing posted photos on an Islamist website Tuesday of five Europeans kidnapped from Mali in November. The group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of two Frenchmen (pictured) and three other Europeans a day later.
Security forces in Mali announced Monday the arrest of four men believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of two French nationals last month. It's thought the kidnappers were acting on behalf of al Qaeda's North African wing.
