A French security adviser seized by Islamist militants in Somalia has told the BBC how he escaped from his captors without a struggle while they slept. Marc Aubriere was kidnapped from a hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, along with a colleague last month.
He told the BBC Somali Service that after fleeing his Hizbul-Islam captors he walked for five hours until he reached the presidential palace. French foreign ministry officials say the second hostage is still being held. The pair were part of a team who were in the country to train troops from the UN-backed interim government, which is battling Islamist rebels for control of the country.
Mr Aubriere described his immense relief at being free. "Of course I feel better than one day ago. Yes I feel very well. I'm happy and I will soon see my family," he said. He said he had been well-treated and well-fed by his captors from the hard-line Islamist group Hizbul-Islam.
But he said was worried about his colleague, who the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says is being held by another Islamist faction, al-Shabab. Earlier reports said Mr Aubriere killed three militants as he fled, but he denied the claims. "I escaped at midnight last night. The guards were very tired and sleepy. I didn't kill anyone or injure anyone while escaping," Mr Aubriere said.
He told the BBC Somali Service that after fleeing his Hizbul-Islam captors he walked for five hours until he reached the presidential palace. French foreign ministry officials say the second hostage is still being held. The pair were part of a team who were in the country to train troops from the UN-backed interim government, which is battling Islamist rebels for control of the country.
Mr Aubriere described his immense relief at being free. "Of course I feel better than one day ago. Yes I feel very well. I'm happy and I will soon see my family," he said. He said he had been well-treated and well-fed by his captors from the hard-line Islamist group Hizbul-Islam.
But he said was worried about his colleague, who the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says is being held by another Islamist faction, al-Shabab. Earlier reports said Mr Aubriere killed three militants as he fled, but he denied the claims. "I escaped at midnight last night. The guards were very tired and sleepy. I didn't kill anyone or injure anyone while escaping," Mr Aubriere said.
