Palestinians free AFP photographer-officials

GAZA, Jan 7 (Reuters) Palestinian militants in Gaza freed a photographer from French news agency Agence France-Presse today after keeping him captive for almost a week, officials said.

Unidentified gunmen had kidnapped 50-year-old Jaime Razuri, a native of Peru, outside the agency's office in Gaza City last Monday. Palestinian security officers brought Razuri to Abbas's office today.

''The good efforts by all parties have succeeded in returning the Peruvian journalist,'' said senior Abbas aide Tayeb Abdel-Rahim.

''He is now free. The security services will continue their work to get to the captors.'' No one has yet claimed responsibility for his abduction.

His kidnapping is the latest in a spate of abductions of foreign journalists and aid workers in Gaza in the past year.

All have been released unharmed.

Militants have abducted foreigners usually to try to put pressure on the Palestinian government to give them jobs or press for the release of detained colleagues, including those inside prisons in Israel.

Reuters PB RN2358