Somali Militants Issue Conditions For Releasing French Hostage
By VOA News
17 September 2009
Somali insurgents holding a French security advisor hostage have issued conditions to the French government for the man's release.
In a statement released early Thursday, the Islamist militant group al-Shabab called for France to immediately cease any political and military support for Somalia's transitional government.
The group also called for the withdrawal of African Union peacekeepers from Somalia and for France to withdraw warships patrolling Somali waters as a part of an European Union anti-piracy campaign.
The hostage is one of two French military agents seized from their hotel in Mogadishu in July. The two were separated shortly after their capture, and held by separate armed gangs. One advisor escaped last month while his guards were sleeping.
Two insurgent groups - Hizbul Islam and al-Shabab - are fighting to overthrow Somalia's transitional government. The groups want to replace the government with an Islamic state.
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