Meanwhile, the family of freed hostage Darren Matthews, 29, from Teesside, have issued a statement.

BBC: Algeria hostages: Five Britons dead or unaccounted for

Ms. JILL CARROLL (Freed Hostage): I was kept in a very good, small, safe place, a safe room, nice furniture.

NPR: latest news

In 2009, American troops opened fire at a Baghdad airport checkpoint, killing Italian secret service agent Nicola Calipari and wounding a just-freed Italian hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena, whom Calipari was trying to spirit out of the country.

CNN: Italians ask: Can Americans get away with murder?

Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- Somali pirates freed a British hostage Wednesday, nearly seven months after she was taken captive in a raid at a Kenyan beach resort in which her husband was killed.

CNN: Somali pirates release British hostage

Carroll is the fourth Western hostage to be freed in eight days.

NPR: Kidnapped American Reporter Jill Carroll Freed

In March 2006 they seized a train in Latehar, also in Jharkhand, taking more than 40 passengers hostage - but freed them 12 hours later.

BBC: Maoist rebels seize Indian train

American hostage Jill Carroll has been freed in Baghdad after being held for nearly three months.

NPR: latest news

All 86 passengers who had been held hostage for five days were freed.

CNN: Sunday,

One person was injured, while a woman held hostage for about an hour was freed before the gunman killed himself.

BBC: Israel bank shooting leaves four dead

Meanwhile, a Lebanese Shia held hostage by Syrian rebels has been freed.

BBC: Syria conflict: Japan reporter Mika Yamamoto flown home

Unconfirmed reports from Algeria have suggested that two Scots have been freed by the army alongside a Kenyan and a French hostage.

BBC: Algeria siege: Alex Salmond confirms Scots among hostages