Malki, the Saudi diplomat kidnapped by tribesmen in Yemen 11 days ago, was released unconditionally Tuesday after a tribal cordon around the area where he was being held left his abductors with few options but to free him peacefully. Ali Al-Hamdan, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, confirmed the release to Okaz/Saudi Gazette. “Al-Malki is in good health and was freed with nothing in exchange as a result of the efforts of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom's embassy, the Yemeni government and Yemeni tribal sheikhs,” Al-Hamdan said. An uncle of Al-Malki said the family was “over the moon”. “His wife and children and the rest of the family are overjoyed that he's free and unharmed,” he said. Ahmad Abbad Shareef, a senior sheikh from the Bani Dhabyan tribes, reiterated that the release was conducted with no concessions towards the kidnappers' demands. “The Bani Dhabyan tribes worked to secure his release without any conditions, as one of the kidnappers involved was from the Bani Dhabyan,” Sheikh Shareef said. “Everyone in the region rejected their demands to be allowed to leave the area, as the act is a slight on their tribe. Other tribesmen formed a blockade of the region so they could not leave without releasing the diplomat.” He said that the blockade left the three kidnappers, from the Qayfa, Marad and Bani Dhabyan tribes, with little choice. “They knew they were surrounded and trapped between the mountains, and had no option other than to hand over the diplomat peacefully and without demands. All the tribal sheikhs were in the area.” Al-Malki was later escorted to Sana'a by tribal sheikhs and taken to the Saudi embassy. Al-Malki was snatched from Al-Hada Street in central Sana'a Friday before last, prompting days of negotiations described by officials as tense. His kidnappers had hoped to force the payment of SR5 million to cover the debt of another Saudi owed to a Yemeni from Yafe'e.
