Frenchman 'flees Somali captors'

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Much of south Somalia is controlled by al-Shabab and its militia allies.

A French security adviser seized by Islamist militants in Somalia has escaped his captors, officials say, reports BBC.
The Frenchman, who was kidnapped from a hotel in Mogadishu along with a colleague last month, reportedly killed three militants as he made his escape.
Nothing is known of the fate of the second hostage, who is being held by a different rebel faction.
The pair were part of a team training government forces, who are battling the rebels for control of the country.
A spokesman for the interim government, Abdulkadir Hussein Wehliye, said the man who escaped was in the presidential palace and "in a good mood".
A government military official, Farhan Asanyo, said the man unexpectedly came up to government soldiers early on Wednesday, identified himself and said he had escaped.
"The man told them that he was one of the French officials held by militants," Mr Asanyo said.
"He said he escaped after killing three of his captors, and we sent him to the presidential palace."
The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan, in Mogadishu, says the two French captives were being held by different factions.
While fighters from the Hizbul-Islam group were holding the man who has now escaped, their allies from al-Shabab are thought to hold the other man.
The two groups control much of southern Somalia, but analysts say al-Shabab is known for being the more radical of the two groups.
Al-Shabab fighters care little for their public image and they have carried out killings on camera.
Both groups are said to have links to al-Qaeda and have been reinforced by foreign fighters.
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.