Somali gunmen released two United Nations workers from Sweden and Denmark hours after kidnapping them in the Bakool region of southern Somalia yesterday, UN officials said.

"The Danish and the Swedish workers were released ...without ransom and are safe waiting for a flight to Nairobi," said Mohamed Nur Salad, a UN security and safety worker. Salad told Reuters they were released after local elders and UN officials negotiated with the Islamists, who then delivered the mine risk project officers to an administrative office in Wajid, a town 90 km west of Baidoa.

A Somali man working as a translator for the International Medical Corps was also released.

The United Nations said the Dane was called Noefolk Nelson and the Swede, Ulf Felink.

Both had been in the area for the last three days and were planning to establish a centre for Mine Action for the United Nations Development Programme.

A local said armed Islamist militants following an attack on the town of Hudur had kidnapped them.

Kidnapping is a lucrative business in Somalia, and hostages are normally treated well in anticipation of large ransoms.

Gunmen are holding hostage four foreign aid workers - two Italians, a Kenyan and a Briton - abducted in April and May.