Three Italian women abducted in Yemen have returned to their captors shortly after they were freed today.
Local officials said the three women had been freed and that the authorities were negotiating to gain the release of two male tourists.
However, officials later said the three had returned to their kidnappers and would only leave if all five were released.
The group were kidnapped by al-Zaidi tribesmen demanding that eight tribe members held on criminal charges be freed.
The kidnapping of the five Italians, which followed the abduction of five Germans, prompted the sacking of governors in the two provinces where the Western tourists were seized.
Italy said its embassy in Sanaa was working with Yemeni authorities to seek a solution to the kidnapping.
