Al Qaeda releases Spanish hostages after eight months

NOUAKCHOTT - Two Spanish hostages kidnapped and held in Mali by Al Qaeda for eight months were released Sunday, local sources and regional news network al-Arabiya reported.

The two men, Roque Pascual and Albert Villalta, are on their way to the Malian capital of Bamako, sources said. Reports said that the release was in connection with a deal to free a militant already convicted of the kidnapping.

The Spaniards were abducted at gunpoint along with one woman from a convoy of their aid organisation as it was returning to the capital, Nouakchott, from the port city of Nouadhibou Nov 29. The hostages were then taken to northern Mali.

The woman was released in March.