Esra Kaymak,Gülşen Topçu
September 20, 2015•Update: September 20, 2015
SANAA, Yemen
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have released six foreign hostages, officials said Sunday.
Three Saudis, two Americans and a Briton were set free by the Shia insurgents after months of captivity. They have been flown to neighboring Oman from Sanaa.
In a statement, the White House said the hostages were met in Muscat by the U.S. ambassador. The Washington Post newspaper identified the Americans as Louisiana-based logistics employee Scott Darden and Sam Farran, a security consultant from Michigan.
The Post said a third American, a 35-year-old Muslim convert, was still being held.
A member of the Houthi group, who asked to remain anonymous, told Anadolu Agency the detainees were released through negotiation with Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.
The U.K. government confirmed the release of the Briton, the BBC reported.
Houthi rebels have captured much of Yemen, including Sanaa, in a conflict with government troops backed by a Saudi-led coalition seeking to restore exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.
Around 4,500 people, including at least 2,110 civilians, have been killed since the coalition launched strikes against the Houthis in March.
