WEST BANK: Three American women briefly seized by Palestinian militants are released in Nablus

Record ID: 561000

  • Title: WEST BANK: Three American women briefly seized by Palestinian militants are released in Nablus
  • Date: 21st February 2007
  • Summary: (BN13) NABLUS, WEST BANK (FEBRUARY 20, 2007) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) VARIOUS OF THREE AMERICAN WOMEN ABDUCTED BY PALESTINIAN MILITANTS ARRIVING AT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN BEING ESCORTED BY PALESTINIAN SECURITY OFFICIALS VARIOUS OF WOMEN AFTER THEIR RELEASE
  • Embargoed: 8th March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA5V84XD11VIU61PETAFLAQGUBI
  • Story Text: A Palestinian man demanding medical expenses for a battle wound abducted three American women near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday (February 20), and freed them an hour later.
    Three American women were briefly held by a Palestinian man, who said he was demanding medical expenses for a battle wound.
    The women, all in their 20s, were unharmed, Kamal el-Sheikh, the governor of Nablus, told Reuters. No further details on their identities were released.
    Sheikh said that "a guy with personal demands" had seized the women shortly after nightfall and held them in a village called Kufr Kalil.
    The gunman freed them an hour later after negotiations with the abductor.
    A Palestinian source speaking on condition of anonymity said the kidnapper, wounded in fighting with Israeli forces during the six-year uprising in the occupied territory, demanded medical care and a job in exchange for the women.
    The women were the first foreigners abducted in the Palestinian territories since January 23 when a French diplomat and two bodyguards were held for a few hours.
    More than 20 foreigners have been abducted by Palestinians in the past year, mainly in the Gaza Strip. All have been released, most of them within hours or days.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register