Around the World: Somalia

Journalists identified

Somalia's journalists' union identified two Western reporters kidnapped near Mogadishu and said yesterday it believed they were being held hostage by gunmen in the capital.

The National Union of Somali Journalists named them as Amanda Lindhout, a Canadian reporter based in Baghdad but freelancing for French television and Canada's Global National News, and Nigel Brennan, a freelance Australian photojournalist.

A local translator and a local driver were also seized.

But the union said information received early yesterday suggested militiamen were holding the pair hostage in Mogadishu's northeastern district of Suqa Holaha.

(China Daily 08/25/2008 page14)