U.S. Journalist Casey Coombs Held Hostage In Yemen Freed By Houthis, Arrived In Oman Safely

A freelance journalist from the United States identified as Casey Coombs has been freed by the Houthis after being held hostage in Yemen. The journalist is said to have arrived in Oman after being released and is reportedly safe and in good health.

Casey Coombs is a journalist who was based in Sana'a, Yemen's capital, and writes for global publications such as BBC, The Intercept, GlobalPost, and other international news outlets. The state Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, released a statement on Monday saying that the condition of Coombs is stable and that he was met by the U.S. ambassador in the said area.

Coombs has been held hostage since mid-May as his last tweet regarding the fighting in Sana'a was recorded on May 14. He said in his tweet that the fighting in the Yemeni capital appeared to have settled down.

It is not yet clear how Coombs was held hostage by the Houthi rebels and that it is believed that there are three more Americans being held by the insurgent group. Last April, Coombs wrote an article regarding the difficulties he has faced when he attempted to leave Yemen. He said that he has tried to leave Yemen since March as it has been a very chaotic situation ever since the government of Yemen collapsed.

The mother of 33-year-old Coombs, Jill Hammil, said that she is happy about the release of her son and that although it has been a horrible ride for them, the outcome is great overall. According to a report by The New York Times, Coombs will be taken to a U.S. base overseas for his full medical evaluation before being transported back to the U.S.

The release of Coombs came shortly after a video was released by a French woman named Isabelle Prime. Prime was captured by the Houthi rebels three months ago and in the video, she begged for her release with the help of the French and the Yemeni presidents. However, it is believed that Prime is not being held by Houthi rebels but is instead seized by an al Qaeda-related group.

Prime's situation remains to be unknown and if she will be released soon from the group that has captured her.