Kidnapped aid workers on hunger strike in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia (Reuters) -- Two aid workers with the French agency Action Against Hunger who were taken hostage in the Somali capital of Mogadishu last week have begun a hunger strike, the newspaper Ayaamaha reported on Sunday.

Jonathan Ward, 31, a British logistics worker, and French administrator Francoise Deutsch, 46, were abducted last Wednesday by around 20 heavily-armed militiamen.

The newspaper said they had been allowed access to a mobile phone to enable them to contact their headquarters and families on Saturday.

An ACF spokeswoman in Mogadishu said it was in touch with the militia group holding the hostages and was pressing for their release. Sources close to the militia said there were hopes they might be released soon.

Supporters of faction leader Osman Ato staged a large demonstration in Mogadishu on Saturday, calling for the release of the hostages.

But the militia holding the hostages blocked the demonstrators' way. The newspaper said they had shot and wounded one of the organizers of the demonstration, a colonel in Ato's forces.

Somalia has had no central government since 1991, when President Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown.

The southern part of the country, including Mogadishu, is controlled by a number of armed factions who clash frequently. The northern half has declared independence as the Republic of Somaliland, which has not been recognized internationally.

Aid workers have been abducted several times in recent years but have been freed after intervention by Somali tribal elders and international groups.

Aid agencies working in Somalia have virtually halted operations pending the release of the two latest hostages.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more Africa news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Africa

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.