Yemen tribesmen free Dutch couple

Jan Hoogendoorn and Heleen Janszen during their kidnapping

A Dutch couple kidnapped by armed tribesmen almost two weeks ago have been released and are returning to the capital, a Yemeni official said.

"They are with tribal intermediaries and are on their way back to Sanaa," the official said.

The couple were seized while driving in the city and taken to a mountainous region 55 miles (90km) to the east.

The tribesmen were seeking compensation from the government over the wounding of six tribesmen by police in 2008.

'Treated well'

Jan Hoogendoorn, 54, and his wife Heleen Janszen, 49, were held near Bani Dhibyan in an inaccessible part of the rugged Al-Siraj mountains following their abduction on 31 March.

They were treated well by their kidnappers, Ms Janszen had told reporters by telephone during her captivity.

"We were offered lunch and tea, and were allowed to take a walk and take pictures," she said.

The couple's release came a day after Mr Hoogendoorn, a water engineer, appealed to the Dutch authorities to refrain from using military means to release them.

"We call on the government not to use force to free us but to do it in a peaceful manner," he said in a video shown on Dutch television.

"We want to survive," his wife added on the broadcast.

Yemen has a history of kidnappings by tribesmen; in most cases those taken are released unharmed soon after. The hostages are commonly used as bargaining chips in disputes with the government.