A French security adviser¹ seized by Islamist militants² in Somalia has told the BBC how he escaped from his captors without a struggle while they slept.

一位在索马里被回族教徒武装力量扣押的法国安全顾问向BBC讲述了他是如何在扣押者睡着的情况下安全逃出。

Marc Aubriere walked through Mogadishu, where gun battles are common

Marc Aubriere was kidnapped from a hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, along with a colleague last month.

He told the BBC Somali Service that after fleeing his Hizbul-Islam captors he walked for five hours until he reached the presidential palace.

French foreign ministry³ officials say the second hostage is still being held.

The pair were part of a team who were in the country to train troops from the UN-backed interim⁴ government, which is battling Islamist rebels for control of the country.

Mr Aubriere described his immense relief（巨大的宽慰） at being free.

"Of course I feel better than one day ago. Yes I feel very well. I'm happy and I will soon see my family," he said.

He said he had been well-treated and well-fed by his captors from the hard-line Islamist group Hizbul-Islam.

But he said was worried about his colleague, who the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says is being held by another Islamist faction⁵（小派系，内讧）, al-Shabab.

'Without violence'

Earlier reports said Mr Aubriere killed three militants as he fled, but he denied the claims.

"I escaped at midnight last night. The guards were very tired and sleepy. I didn't kill anyone or injure anyone while escaping," Mr Aubriere said.

France's foreign ministry also denied any violence was used and other reports that he had been freed after a ransom⁶（赎金） was paid.

"Despite certain allegations and rumours⁷, this happened without violence and France did not pay a ransom," spokesman Eric Chevallier told reporters.

Al-Shabab and Hizbul-Islam control much of southern Somalia, but analysts⁸ say al-Shabab is known for being the more radical⁹ of the two groups.

Al-Shabab fighters care little for their public image and they have carried out killings¹⁰ on camera.

Both groups are said to have links to al-Qaeda and have been reinforced by foreign fighters.

Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.

Moderate Islamist Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was sworn in as president in January after UN-brokered peace talks.

He promised to introduce Sharia law but the hardliners accuse him of being a Western stooge.