American, Singaporean missing in Yemen reach Oman

An American and a Singaporean who had been missing in war-ravaged Yemen were found and taken to neighbouring Oman on Monday, the sultanate's official ONA news agency reported.

The announcement came as a US official told AFP that an American citizen who had been held in the war-torn country had been freed and sent to Oman where he was met by the US ambassador.

Oman's Sultan Qaboos had issued "orders to help the American and Singaporean governments regarding their two citizens who had gone missing in Yemen," ONA reported.

The sultanate, which is hosting talks between the US and Iran-backed Huthi rebels, had "coordinated with concerned parties in Yemen to search for the American citizen and the Singaporean," said ONA.

"They were found and have been taken from Sanaa to the sultanate this evening in preparation for their return to their home countries," it added without giving further details.

The news came after it was revealed that several Americans were imprisoned in Yemen.

The Washington Post said the Americans were believed to be held by the Huthis in a prison near the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

US officials said efforts to secure the Americans' release had been mainly through "intermediaries including humanitarian groups that continue to have a presence in Sanaa," it reported at the weekend.

One of the prisoners had been approved to be released in recent days, but the rebels went back on their decision.

He had initially been detained for overstaying his visa, but then the rebels accused him of travelling to "sensitive" areas in Yemen.

Yemen's exiled government and diplomats in Muscat have told AFP that Oman was hosting talks between a US delegation and the Shiite rebels.

Yemen's neighbour Oman has good ties with both Tehran and Washington.

Muscat has often played the role of mediator between Iran and the United States and had in the past secured the release of several detainees.

Oman is also the only member of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council not to have joined a Saudi-led air war targeting the Huthis and their allies in Yemen.