Armed people, related to Yemen\'s southern opposition, released four soldiers who were kidnapped in June in the Yemeni governorate of Dalea. The kidnappers aimed to pressurise the government to release their own prisoners in exchange for the abducted soldiers.  Security sources stressed that a tribal mediation managed to convince the armed activists to release the Yemeni soldiers.  South Yemen has witnessed an  increasing demand to restore its independent state and achieve separation from the central government in Sanaa.