DAKAR, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish ambassador to Nouakchott, Alonso Descuellar Mazarido, has refused to comment on the whereabouts of the three Spanish hostages taken on Sunday in Mauritania by armed men between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, African News Agency reported on Wednesday.

    "It's only the Mauritanian authorities that can comment on this issue," Mazarido told a press briefing on Tuesday evening in the capital Nouakchott.

    The ambassador made the remarks amid reports by local media around mid-day that the three Spanish aid workers and their kidnappers were spotted some 150 km northwest of Akjoujt, which is hundreds of km from Nouakchott.

    The Spanish diplomat also affirmed that his country was satisfied with the measures taken by Mauritania in view of liberating the hostages, saying Nouakchott had complied with all the demands made on the issue by Madrid.

    The three hostages including two men and one female were part of a convoy heading to Senegal and Gambia, where they were scheduled to distribute school and health equipment to the needy people.

    The convoy reportedly went on with its mission after the gunmen took the hostages away.