Muscat: Three French aid workers, who were released by alleged Al Qaida group in Yemen after six months in captivity, left for France after arriving in Muscat on Monday afternoon from Salalah.
The identities of all three have been kept a secret although they met government-backed media at the Royal Airforce of Oman airport in Muscat during their whistle-stop visit to the city.
France, meanwhile, insisted on Monday that it had not paid a ransom for the release of three French hostages kidnapped by Al Qaida militants in Yemen.
"We do not pay ransoms," French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said during a press conference.
The three — two women and a man — were kidnapped in south of Yemen in last May and the news of their release came on Monday morning from French President Sarkozy's office.
A statement released from Paris said "Sarkozy warmly thanks the Sultan of Oman and the authorities for their decisive help, as well as all those who contributed to this happy outcome."
The only man among three released aid workers, who sported unkempt long beard, thanked Oman and its ruler. "We three are very thankful to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos [Bin Saeed] for his involvement that lead us to our freedom," he said.
"We are very grateful for the great hospitality we have had during our stay in Oman. We are very happy to go back to our family to be finally free," he added in a brief statement. None of the three took questions.
