Released hostages arrive in Kuwait

The three Indian truckers, who were held hostage by Iraqi militants for 42 days, arrived in Kuwait late on Wednesday night.

The three hostages -- Antaryami, Tilak Raj and Sukhdeo Singh -- were released earlier in the day by their captors after successful conclusion of negotiations that more than once looked headed for stalemate.
 
Their release came less than 24 hours after a different militant group killed 12 Nepalis it was holding hostage.

The Indian truckers were received in Kuwait by Indian Ambassador Swashpawan Singh.

They are expected to be flown home on Thursday.

They, along with four other freed hostages -- three Kenyans and an Egyptian --

were hugged and presented with flowers by executives and employees of the Kuwait and Gulf Link transport company for which they worked.

The truckers were taken hostage by a little known militant group 'Islamic Secret Army - Holders of Black Banners'.

KGL officials said they paid more than half a million dollars as ransom to the kidnappers.

"The hostages have been released," a jubilant External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh earlier announced at a press
conference in Delhi.

Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed, who headed the Crisis Management Group set up to deal with the situation, was also present at the press conference.