Muscat: An American among several believed held by Al Houthis in Yemen was freed and receiving treatment Tuesday in neighbouring Oman.
News of the release of American journalist Casey Coombs came as Omani state media reported that a Singaporean had also arrived in the country on his way home.
“I can... confirm that US citizen Casey Coombs has departed Yemen and has arrived safely in Muscat,” said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.
“He is in stable condition. The US ambassador and a consular official met him at the airport upon his arrival and are providing all possible consular assistance.”
Pictures released by Oman’s official ONA news agency showed Coombs being stretchered into an ambulance with a brace around his head.
“We are grateful to the government of Oman and personally to Sultan Qaboos for assisting with the safe passage of a US citizen to Oman,” said Harf.
Coombs, who had been working as a freelance journalist in Yemen since 2012, writing for publications including Time magazine and The Intercept, had been held by Al Houthis for two weeks, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
The journalist’s detention by Al Houthis had been kept under wraps at the request of his family.
In an article he wrote for The Intercept last month, he said he had been trying to leave the country, but was struggling to find a safe route out amid the fighting.
The United States said at the weekend it was working to secure the release of “several US citizens” held in Yemen.
