The two French security advisors who were kidnapped in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Tuesday have been handed over to Islamist rebels. The Somali government is negotiating for their release.

Originally, it was reported that the abducted Frenchmen were journalists. It later transpired that they were security officers, posing as reporters, who were facilitating training intelligence services for the federal interim Somali government.

Although the identity of the kidnappers remains unclear, there are rumours that they worked for the Somali government and were angry that they had not been paid. The Somali government says the kidnapping was not politically motivated.

Somalia is currently battling with hard-line Islamist insurgent groups that have launched a major military offensive against the government.

Photo of Mogadishu by ctsnow (flickr)