Spanish hostages freed

2010-08-23 11:42

Bamako - The two Spanish hostages held by Al-Qaeda's North African branch since November are expected "at any moment" at Mali's border with Burkina Faso, a regional security source told AFP on Monday.

"They're expected at the border at any moment and the operation in place is that a helicopter will collect them," said the source on condition of anonymity.

The helicopter is then to fly the two men to the Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou, he said.

Spanish media said the two Spanish aid workers, Albert Vilalta, 35, and Roque Pascual, 50, have been released.

Madrid declined to confirm the report, but a government source told El Pais daily that an official announcement would be made once the two aid workers were in a safe place.

- AFP