Two Americans Released After Six Months Of Captivity In Yemen

A Royal Air Force of Oman plane at the Sanaa International Airport in the Yemeni capital waits to transport two Americans, two Saudis and a Briton to the Omani capital, Muscat, after they were released by Shiite rebels following around six months of detention.

Mohammed Huwais / AFP / Getty Images

Two Americans arrived in Oman on Sunday after months of detention in Yemen.

Secretary of State John Kerry announced the release of the two men from captivity and thanked all who worked toward securing their safe return home.

"We have said that their release has been our focus since we first learned of their detention, and the Administration has been in regular contact with their families and representatives," Kerry said in a statement.

Family members identified one of the released men as Scott Darden, 45, a logistics manager who had been delivering humanitarian aid. The other was identified as 54-year-old Sam Farran, a security consultant, NBC News reported.

Darden had been working in the region for years and was at the time of his capture employed by Transocean Projects & Development, said company spokesperson Ken Luce. Delivering aid was his passion, Luce said.

He found himself in danger as fighting unexpectedly intensified on March 27, Luce said, and Darden contacted Farran for help getting out of the country. The two men had worked together before.

"They both just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," Luce said.

A third American remained detained. Media reports had previously indicated the third American would be among a group of six hostages to be released. A spokesperson for the Huthis refused to confirm the release of hostages or indicate why they had been originally detained, Gulf News reported.

"We will continue to work tirelessly to pursue the release of all Americans detained abroad unjustly, including those who remain in the region," Kerry said.

A spokesperson for the White House's National Security Council echoed Kerry's words and also called for the resumption of peace talks.

"It is clear that the people of Yemen want the fighting to end as soon as possible," Ned Price said in a statement.

Civil war broke out in Yemen in March as Huthi fighters began an offensive to take over the government after years of factional strife. A Saudi Arabian-led coalition began air strikes against them, which continued this week. Other attacks over recent months were also launched by members of ISIS and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed