MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali gunmen on Tuesday kidnapped two foreign contractors working for a project funded by the United Nations in southern Somalia, one of their colleagues said.
Local militias were pursuing the kidnappers with the hopeof freeing the captives, residents said.
"One Briton and one Kenyan working for the U.N.'s FAO (Foodand Agriculture Organisation) were kidnapped by clan militiamensomewhere between Bule and Sakow towns in Middle Jubbaprovince," a Somali aid worker, who asked not to be named, toldReuters.
"We understand that the British man was wounded during anexchange of gunfire between the Somali bodyguards and themilitia," he said.
He said the two had been working for the FAO-funded SomaliaWater and Land Information Management project.
FAO officials in Rome and a British Foreign Officespokesman in London said they were investigating the report.
Local elders and militiamen were pursuing the kidnapperstoward Jilib district, 280 km (174 miles) south of Mogadishu.
"We are still chasing the kidnappers. We are determined tofree the hostages," resident Mohamed Abdirisak said by phone.
Kidnapping is a lucrative business for Somali criminals,who are known for treating their captives well -- viewing theminvestments upon which they expect to earn a handsome return inthe form of ransom.
(Reporting by Aweys Yusuf, Ibrahim Mohamed and MohamedAbdi; editing by Diana Abdallah)
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