Two foreigners kidnapped in Yemen, officials say

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Two Yemeni Interior
Ministry officials said two foreigners were
kidnapped in the coastal province of Taiz, 250
kilometers south of the capital Sanaa, on
Monday.
"The couple were walking down Hoban Street
when they were kidnapped in open daylight by
a number of armed gunmen," an Interior
Ministry official said on condition of
anonymity because he is not authorized to talk
to the media.
No one has announced responsibility for the
kidnapping. "They were forcibly put in a
vehicle, which fled the scene immediately," the
official added.
The second official said the victims were most
likely South African nationals.
Witnesses said the couple were tourists and
have been in the area for at least three days.
"They came to Taiz because foreigners are
always welcomed here. This is the first time
that foreigners are kidnapped in Taiz," said
Khaled Al-Areeqi, a shop owner who saw the
couple walking around. "The gunmen escaped
the city unnoticed, and this is a result of bad
security."
Numerous checkpoints were introduced
throughout Taiz province, and the government
has asked local tribal leaders to assist in the
search. Armored vehicles were deployed at all
entrances to the city.
Hundreds of security forces were deployed to
surrounding rural areas.
Kidnapping of foreigners is common in Yemen
and has increased since the political crisis that
led to a regime change in February 2012.
Monday's is the fourth kidnapping of
foreigners this month.
Earlier in the month, five foreigners, including
three staff members with the International
Committee of the Red Cross, were released two
days after being kidnapped by local tribesmen
in the southern Abyan province.
A Finnish couple and an Austrian kidnapped in
December were also released by suspected al
Qaeda militants after receiving a ransom.