Tribal sources told Yemen Post that militants who kidnapped a Finnish couple and an Austrian man are seeking as much as $7 million US dollars in return for setting them free.

The government has refused to negotiate with the kidnappers or give additional details on where the situation stands today.

The government informed Finnish officials who visited Sana’a that a ransom might be needed and confirmed that tribal leaders around Sana’a are helping in the hunt for the kidnappers.

Tribal leaders in the southern suburbs of Sana’a told Yemen Post that the release of the three foreigners would take anywhere between a week to two months ranging on sides agreeing to the ransom. “At times it does not only involve money, it involves the release of prisoners and this case seems like both money and prisoners will be needed to ensure the release of the foreigners,” a tribal leader told Yemen Post.

He said that if negotiations take longer than a month the deal would be somewhat complicating and would involve more for the release.

On Friday, unidentified gunmen kidnapped the three foreigners in Yemen's capital Sanaa.
 

The kidnapping took place at the republican palace area in Al-Tahrir Square.
 

The authorities have declined to comment on the incident.

Tribesmen usually kidnap foreigners to pressure the authorities to meet demands including ransom, releasing detainees or supplying some services to their areas.
Several kidnappings have been reported this year amid alarming security disorder deepened by power vacuum as the unrest, which began last year, persists.