Freedom is 'bloody marvellous', says aid worker

A British aid worker abducted by masked gunmen in Somalia today spoke of his joy after being released by his captors – describing his freedom as “bloody marvellous”.

Zimbabwe-born Frans Barnard, who was working for Save the Children, is now on his way to a place of safety six days after his ordeal began, the charity said.

Anna Ford, Save the Children spokeswoman, said they had spoken to him twice since his release.

“We spoke to him and he said ’It is bloody marvellous’ – he confirmed that he was safe and well and was confident in the people who were looking after him,” she said.

“We can confirm that he has been released by his kidnappers and he is now in the hands of clan elders in Somalia.

“It was those clan elders who organised his release and he is currently on his way to a place of safety.

“We are just hugely, hugely grateful to the clan elders for everything that they have done.

Mr Barnard was taken from a guesthouse compound in Adado, a small town close to the border with Ethiopia, on Thursday night.

Save the Children has previously confirmed that he was being looked after and was in good spirits.

A Somali national who was also taken from the compound with him was released unharmed within hours.

The men were working with the charity as it carried out a feasibility assessment into setting up a programme to help sick and malnourished children and their families in the area.

Tensions have been running high in the lawless region, where armed forces include pirate gangs and factions of militias allied to the government.

Kidnapping for ransom is not uncommon in the area, though hostages are usually released unharmed.

The stricken Horn of Africa nation has been beset by famine and years of fighting between rival warlords leading to thousands of deaths.

It has had no functioning central government for nearly 20 years. But the western part of the country had been considered one of its safer areas.

Though most aid agencies have pulled out of the region, some had recently considered a return.

Save the Children has been working in Somalia for more than 40 years, with a focus on improving access to food, basic healthcare and education.

The charity is largely based in the central Hiran region, Karkaar in the north east and in the Togdheer region.

Its work has been limited by the security situation but this year it began to pool resources with two other branches of the International Save the Children Alliance – Denmark and Finland – to become a unified presence in the country.