Al-Qaeda Releases Spanish Hostages
The BBC reports that Al-Qaeda has released two Spanish aid workers that they were holding as hostages. The Spanish government has not indicated if they paid the ransom:
Two Spanish aid workers kidnapped nine months ago by al-Qaeda's North African offshoot have been released in Mali.
They stopped in Burkina Faso's capital of Ouagadougou, en route to Barcelona, where they arrived early on Tuesday.
Roque Pascual and Albert Vilalta were seized by militants from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Mauritania last November.
"This has been 268 days of suffering for them and their families," Spain's PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said.
A female colleague seized with the men, Alicia Gamez, was set free in March.
Their kidnappers had reportedly demanded a $5m (£3.2m) ransom for Mr Pascual, 50, and Mr Vilalta, 35. It is unclear if any payment was made, and the Spanish government refused to comment on reports that it had paid a ransom.
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