Despite friction over her criticism of crucifixes in schools, Ayguel Oezkan has been sworn in as Lower Saxony’s social affairs minister on Tuesday. Political leaders welcomed her appointment, but rejected her comments.
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Islamists ‘share French hostages’
July 16th, 2009 |
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Two French security advisers seized in Somalia this week have been split up and are now being held by two different hardline groups, reports say.
The pair were snatched by gunmen from a Mogadishu hotel on Tuesday and were being held by the Hizbul-Islam group.
But officials say the al-Shabab group wanted them and after a row, Hizbul-Islam handed one of the men over.
Al-Shabab has recently carried out several beheadings, amputations and stonings in areas it controls.
They are allied with Hizbul-Islam against the UN-backed interim government and together control much of southern Somalia.
Both groups are said to have links to al-Qaeda and have been reinforced by foreign fighters.
A BBC East Africa correspondent, Peter Greste, says kidnappings in Somalia are normally about the negotiation of ransom payments rather than making violent points about foreign interference.
But he says this abduction has diplomats worried because making a point about foreign support for the government might be more valuable than demanding a cash payout.
‘Good health’
A group of gunmen dressed in military uniform seized the men on Tuesday morning and handed them over to the Hizbul-Islam group.
The move apparently sparked a row with the al-Shabab militants, who managed to persuade the other group to hand over one of the hostages.
Meeting al-Shabab Somali justice – Islamist-style
An unnamed al-Shabab militant told Reuters the two men had been shared "to avoid clashes between Islamists".
Somali Social Affairs Minister Mohammed Ali Ibrahim told French media the government was trying to free the men.
"The Shabab party took one of the two hostages and the other is in the hands of the Hizbul-Islam, but we’re in negotiations with them and we’re hoping for a positive result," he said.
Mr Ibrahim said that Somalia’s prime minister had spoken to one of the hostages who was being held in Mogadishu and said they are apparently in good health.
Moderate Islamist Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was sworn in as president in January after UN-brokered peace talks.
He promised to introduce Sharia law but the hardliners accuse him of being a western stooge.
The French advisors were reportedly helping to train the forces of government, which has recently appealed for foreign help to tackle the Islamists.
The US last month confirmed that it has sent weapons to the government, which is also being protected by some 4,000 African Union troops in Mogadishu.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991. </p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.