SANAA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni tribesmen have demanded two million U.S. dollars for releasing a German family of five and a Briton whom have been held since June 2009, local media reported Wednesday.

    The News Yemen website report did not provide more details.

    The new information came a day after Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi said that the Yemeni government was negotiating with the kidnappers of the six foreigners to secure their release after locating their whereabouts.

    The six were among a group of nine foreigners who were kidnapped in the northern region of Saada about six months ago. The other three, two German Bible students and a South Korean, were shot dead during the operation of abducting.

    The Yemeni government frequently accused the Houthi rebels of the kidnapping, a charge Houthis always denied while blaming the government for using such propaganda as a pretext to battle the group.

    In Yemen, kidnapping foreigners are a common phenomenon as tribesmen in the lawless areas often resort to such act to force the government to meet their demands.