Asnar Al-Shariah, an al-Qaeda-linked group, agreed on Monday to unleash the Saudi deputy consul, Abdullah Al-Khalidi, who has been kidnapped since last March.
A tribal source said that a prominent tribal leader Saleh Al-Awlaki and other tribal leaders have conducted negotiations with al-Qaeda for weeks to release the Saudi diplomat, pointing out that the mediation faced many difficulties and obstructions.
The source added that Ansar Al-Shariah accepted a ransom of $10 million that will be paid for the group by Yemen.
This step came as the Saudi authorities released al-Qaeda-linked female prisoners of Al-Qaeda, and reopened its embassy in Sana'a after four months of closure.
Al-Khalidi was kidnapped in the port city of Aden on March 28 and two video messages of al-Khalidi were posted by Al-Qaeda in which he appealed to the Saudi authorities to meet the demands of captors through releasing al-Qaeada prisoners and pay a ransom.
The women, who were held by Saudi security services, are relatives of al Qaeda fighters, Al-Khalidi said.
According to Al-Khalidi, Al-Qaeda would release him one day after the Saudi authorities meets its demands.
The Saudi authorities that freed the five al-Qaeda-linked women said on Monday the move was not linked to demands of Ansar al-Shariah.
"The investigation bureau and public prosecution office decided to release two of the women detainees by court order as they were (pregnant) and close to their due dates."
The other three were released on bail on Saturday pending trial, he said. One more woman detainee is serving a jail sentence.