French hostage freed in Yemen

Paris

Frenchwoman Isabelle Prime, freed after nearly six months of captivity in Yemen, arrived in Paris yesterday to be welcomed by President Francois Hollande and her family in an emotional reunion.

The 30-year-old, who worked as a consultant on a World Bank-funded project in Yemen, touched down at Villacoublay air base near Paris after being released late Thursday.

Isabelle was seized with her translator on February 24 as they were driving to work in the capital Sanaa. Her translator Sherine Makkaoui was freed in March. There is no confirmation yet on the identity of her kidnappers.

According to the official ONA news agency in Oman, Prime arrived there early yesterday from Yemen, before preparing to fly to Paris. The Omani foreign ministry said efforts by the Gulf nation "in coordination with certain Yemeni parties" had helped track her down.