Christian Hostages Are Alive
Six Christian hostages, among them three children, in Yemen are alive. More than six months ago a German Christian family of five and a British engineer were abducted in the North of the country. Deputy Prime Minister Rashad al-Alaimi has confirmed reports that the German family of five and a British engineer are in the hands of Shiite Houthi rebels. The Germans were forced to care for wounded fighters, he said in the capital Sanaa. Johannes and Sabine Hentschel (both 37) and their children Lydia (5), Anna (3) and Simon (1) as well as a British engineer were kidnapped in mid-June during an outing near Saada. Yemen is one of the strictest Islamic countries. 99 percent of the 21 million inhabitants are Muslims. Small groups of Christians gather in secret.