According to a government official, a mediation effort organised by local tribal elders failed to free five UN personnel who were reportedly kidnapped in Yemen's dangerous southern province of Abyan. "A high-ranking committee formed of local tribal elders undertook a number of negotiation rounds with an armed group in the past few days with the goal of freeing the kidnapped UN personnel in Abyan," the official told the media on Friday.

"The tribal mediation attempts came to a halt... because the kidnappers wanted a $5 million ransom... while UN officials and local Yemeni authorities refused to pay the ransom," he added.  According to the official, there were attempts to organise a new mediation team to undertake another round of discussions with the kidnappers in the coming days.

Five UN staff members were kidnapped in Abyan "after having finished a field assignment," according to Russell Geekie, senior communications advisor to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. No one has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping so far, but local media reports say gunmen suspected to be members of Yemen's Al Qaeda branch intercepted a UN vehicle in Mudiyah area, east of Abyan.

The Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network, which is located in Yemen and predominantly operates in the country's eastern and southern regions, has been responsible for a number of high-profile assaults against security personnel. Years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia have allowed the AQAP to grow its position in crucial parts of the war-torn Arab country.

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