SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's Shiite rebels and officials at the airport in the country's capital, Sanaa, say six foreign hostages have been released after being held in the city for more than five months.

The officials say the hostages are three Americans, two Saudis and a British national. They tell the AP that the six have boarded a plane and are flying Sunday to the Gulf nation of Oman, which negotiated their release.

Houthi officials refused to give the reasons for the detention of the hostages. But at least one of them is a journalist, whom they said "entered the country illegally" and "worked without notifying the authorities."

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief reporters.