SANAA, 4 January 2006 — Officials said yesterday that no progress has been made in negotiations to secure the release of five Italian tourists held hostage by tribesmen in northeastern Yemen, as the army deployed more troops to tighten the noose on the kidnappers.
“Negotiations are under way, but no progress has been made yet, because they (the kidnappers) are insisting on their illegal and unacceptable demands,” Adnan Sinan Abu-Luhoum, deputy governor of Marib, told Arab News.
Army forces are tightening the grip on the area and, according to Abu-Luhoum, the situation is under control.
Local residents said artillery units and tanks were stationed yesterday on outposts of the rugged and largely inaccessible Serwah district of Marib province where the five Italians were being held.
Another municipal official involved in the negotiations said he visited the captives yesterday. “I visited the five Italians and they looked in good health,” Derhem Al-Dhama told Arab News by phone from Serwah.
A top local official said Italian Ambassador Mario Boffo had blocked an assault by security forces to release the hostages.
“After a number of tribal leaders failed (in the mediation efforts), the Yemeni authorities seriously considered to launch a military operation against the hostage-takers to free the hostages,” said the official.
“The security and military plan was ready, but the Italian ambassador opposed military intervention, fearing for their (hostages) lives,” he said on condition of anonymity.
The hostage-takers have issued two warnings that they would execute the hostages if such an assault took place.
Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Finni confirmed, in a statement issued in Rome, that his government had requested “no action be taken that could endanger the security” of the hostages. The message was delivered to Yemeni authorities through Italy’s ambassador, he said.
— With input from agencies
