A British security consultant¹ kidnapped six days ago by gunmen in Somalia has described his release as "marvellous", Save the Children says.

拯救儿童组织称，六天前被索马里持枪歹徒劫持的英国安全顾问形容对他的释放“不可思议”。

clan² leaders" src="http://www.enread.com/upimg/allimg/101021/4_101021054644_1.jpg" width="304" height="171" />
Frans Barnard's release was secured by Somali clan leaders

A worker for the charity, Zimbabwe-born Frans Barnard, and a local colleague, who was later freed unharmed, were seized in Adado last Thursday.

The charity said Somali clan（宗族，部落） elders had negotiated Mr Barnard's release and that he was safe and well.

It said no ransom³（赎金） had been paid to his kidnappers⁴.

'Relatively⁵ safe area'

Mr Barnard had gone to the area to see if it was safe enough for Save the Children to set up a new base to help malnourished（营养不良的） and sick children, along with their families.

But on the evening of 14 October, a group of masked gunmen stormed the building, used as a staff residence.

The kidnappers climbed in through a window and fled with their hostages into an area said to be controlled by the hardline Islamist group al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda.

After he was released, a very relieved Mr Barnard spoke⁶ to the BBC.

"I'm good and happy to be left where I was. It's fair to say absolutely no-one expected any resolution quite this quickly," he said.

In a statement released by the charity, Save the Children's chief executive Justin Forsyth said: "We believe Frans was abducted⁷ by an independent group of criminals with no political affiliation⁸（政治背景） or support from other groups in the region."

He added: "Save the Children's policy is not to pay ransoms⁹ and we did not pay a ransom to secure Frans' release."

He said the release had been negotiated by clan elders in Somalia and the charity was grateful to those involved in securing his release.

He earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the kidnappers had looked after Mr Barnard and the local community had offered to help as they had "felt it was wrong that he had been kidnapped".

Anna Ford¹⁰, a Save the Children spokeswoman, said: "We spoke to him and he said 'it is bloody¹¹ marvellous' - he confirmed that he was safe and well and was confident in the people who were looking after him."

She later said that Mr Barnard was now back in Adado and added: "He has had a shower, he has had a good meal, and he is being looked after by the local president.

"Our main objective now is to reunite him with his family as soon as possible."