A South African couple who were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Yemen's southern province of Taiz in May last year were released, a government official told Xinhua on Friday.

The couple snatched by unknown gunmen believed to be from the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch were released unharmed after a mediation by high-ranking tribal chieftains, the local official said on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, a local tribal chief confirmed to Xinhua that: "We managed to set free a man and a woman from South Africa after reaching a deal with al-Qaida kidnappers in neighboring southern province of Abyan."

Earlier in the day, a tribal official told Xinhua that the woman of the South African couple was released, but her husband Pierre was still held captive by the al-Qaida militants.

Foreigners are frequently kidnapped in Yemen by al-Qaida militants or tribesmen who asked for ransoms for the release of their jailed fellows. Most of the kidnapped have been freed unharmed.

The al-Qaida militants, the most active terrorist network in the Middle East, are still holding an Iranian diplomat since July last year and a Saudi diplomat since May 2012.