A German-American journalist who was kidnapped in Somalia more than two and a half years ago has been released.
Mudug region Deputy Governor Ahmed Muse Nur told VOA's Somali Service that 45-year-old Michael Scott Moore was released Tuesday in the Somali town of Galkayo. The German Foreign Ministry confirmed Moore's release.
German magazine Der Spiegel reports Moore was brought by small airplane to the capital, Mogadishu, and then taken by German officials to a safe place for a medical and psychological examination.
The magazine quoted unnamed security officials as saying Moore is in good condition.
Moore, who has both German and U.S. citizenship, was kidnapped in Galkayo in January 2012 while doing research for a book on piracy.
Somali pirates at the time were kidnapping dozens of ships per year, and taking in tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments.
Der Spiegel says that German and American officials worked intensively to secure Moore's release during his long captivity. It was not immediately clear whether a ransom was paid for his release.
