Libya frees AFP,Getty journalists

However,four journalists with Al-Jazeera remain in detention while two journalists have been killed.

Three journalists including two AFP employees held by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi8217;s forces since the weekend were released in Tripoli early on Wednesday.

Their release follows that of four New York Times reporters detained last week by government forces,but four journalists with Al-Jazeera remain in detention. At least two journalists have been killed in the conflict.

Reporter Dave Clark and photographer Roberto Schmidt from AFP and Getty photographer Joe Raedle arrived at the Rixos hotel in downtown Tripoli,where they were met by one of their colleagues.

AFP chairman Emmanuel Hoog said there was 8220;deep rejoicing8221; at the release of the trio,8221;who have regained the liberty to live their lives and practise their profession8221;.

8220;This liberation is the fruit of the mobilisation of the entire AFP editorial staff and the agency as a whole,8221; he said.

Paris-based Clark,38,a former Baghdad bureau chief,has been in Libya since March 8. Schmidt,45,who normally works out of AFP8217;s Nairobi bureau,arrived in the country on February 28. Raedle,a US citizen,is also 45.

They had vanished at the weekend after driving from Tobruk to report on fighting between Gaddafi forces and eastern rebels. Their driver said Monday that they were seized by soldiers loyal to Gaddafi.

Story continues below this ad

Just prior to their release,a Gaddafi spokesman said the veteran leader had received an appeal from the AFP chairman,8221;and the leader basically asked the Libyan state and government to release these journalists8221;.

8220;They were treated very well indeed. They were checked for the health and the well-being,and they were brought to Tripoli,8221; spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said.

Hoog thanked the Libyan government for its 8220;promptness,following my urgent request,in freeing the journalists whose sole mission was to report on the situation currently playing out in Libya8221;.

Getty Images also issued a statement expressing 8220;delight8221; at the release of the trio.

Story continues below this ad

Driver Mohammed Hamed told AFP that on Saturday morning he took Briton Clark,Schmidt,who is of Colombian-German nationality,and Raedle from Tobruk towards the town of Ajdabiya.

A few dozen kilometres miles from Ajdabiya they encountered a convoy of military jeeps and transport vehicles.

They turned around,but were intercepted by the soldiers who forcibly detained them,the driver said.

Four soldiers forced them from their vehicle at gunpoint as Clark said 8220;Sahafa,sahafa8221; 8212; Arabic for journalist.