 Much of south Somalia is controlled by al-Shabab and its militia allies |
A French security adviser seized by Islamist militants in Somalia has escaped his captors, officials say.
The Frenchman, who was kidnapped from a hotel in Mogadishu along with a colleague last month, reportedly killed three militants as he made his escape.
The fate of the the second hostage is not clear, with one unconfirmed report saying he was also free.
The pair were part of a team training government forces, who are battling the rebels for control of the country.
A spokesman for the interim government, Abdulkadir Hussein Wehliye, confirmed the escape of the first man, saying he was in the presidential palace and "in a good mood".
Foreign reinforcements
A government military official, Farhan Asanyo, said the man unexpectedly came up to government soldiers early on Wednesday, identified himself and said he had escaped.
"The man told them that he was one of the French officials held by militants," Mr Asanyo said.
 |   Meeting al-Shabab Somali justice, Islamist-style |
"He said he escaped after killing three of his captors, and we sent him to the presidential palace."
The French news agency AFP later reported that Somali Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gele said the second hostage was also free.
The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan, in Mogadishu, says the two French captives were being held by different factions.
While fighters from the Hizbul-Islam group were holding the man whose escaped has been confirmed, their allies from al-Shabab were thought to be holding the other man.
The two groups control much of southern Somalia, but analysts say al-Shabab is known for being the more radical of the two groups.
Al-Shabab fighters care little for their public image and they have carried out killings on camera.
Both groups are said to have links to al-Qaeda and have been reinforced by foreign fighters.
Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
Moderate Islamist Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was sworn in as president in January after UN-brokered peace talks.
He promised to introduce Sharia law but the hardliners accuse him of being a western stooge.
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