The captors of two foreign journalists kidnapped in Somalia last month said Sunday they will release them in two weeks.
The journalists, an Australian freelance photographer Nigel Brennan and a Canadian Amanda Lindhout, along with a local photographer, were kidnapped by unknown gunmen on the southern outskirts of Mogadishu, the capital, late last month.
The local Shebelle radio spoke with one of the captors, who said there was good communication between the captors and the Australian and Canadian governments about the release of their nationals.
The man, calling himself Ahmed Ali, said in the radio interview that the foreigners are "in good health" and they were able to speak with their relatives by phone.
He said that he called the station to tell about the conditions of the journalists who he said were "100 percent fine" and that the captors are "very much taking care of them".
Although asked repeatedly by the radio to let them speak with the foreigners or the local journalist to ask them about their conditions, Ali refused to do so.
The captors also refused to say their motives for holding the hostages who have been in captivity in an unknown location in Somalia for nearly two weeks.
This is the first time the captors have publicly spoken about the abducted journalists who are believed to be held in Mogadishu.
It is not clear if the captors have demanded any ransom for the release of the foreign hostages who are often kidnapped for ransom.
The captors denied reports in local media last week that the Somali ambassador to Kenya has been involved in the negotiations.
Local insurgent groups have distanced themselves from the kidnapping of the foreign journalists and condemned it.
(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2008)
