Somalia: last two detained UN staff freed, flown to Nairobi

The remaining two United Nations staff members detained in Somalia after last week's militia attack were released today in Mogadishu and flown to Kenya.

The workers - Bill Condie, 61, and Roger Carter, 41- were picked up by a UN plane and transported to Nairobi, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard told the press today at the Organization's Headquarters in New York.

"Both are reported to be in good health," Mr. Eckhard added.

The staff members, both nationals of the United Kingdom, had been held by a Somali militia faction since 27 March, when they were abducted along with four other UN workers and four staff from the French relief organization Médecins sans Frontières during an attack in Mogadishu.

The spokesman said the UN welcomed the unconditional release of the two staff members, which followed the previous release of the other UN aid workers.