ADEN — Amid complete silence by the Yemeni authorities and various rumors circulating by media outlets, mystery still surrounds the kidnapping of the Saudi deputy consul Abdullah Al-Khaledi in the southern port city of Aden.

Local media outlets insisted that the incident is related to a civil marriage.

Security and local officials declined to comment on the case, saying investigation is still underway.

While on his way to work on the morning of Wednesday, March 28, which marks the last day of his five-year tenure in Yemen, unidentified gunmen snatched Al-Khaledi from an area nearby his house in the Raimi area section of Aden.

The Saudi ambassador to Sana'a, Ali Al-Hamdan, denied media reports claiming that the incident has to do with a secret civil marriage to a local Adeni girl, saying these reports are baseless.

 “Unfortunately, Al-Khaledi did not have any escort when he was kidnapped,” said Al-Hamdan.

The Riyadh Foreign Ministry directs the members of its diplomatic mission to Yemen to remain vigilant and not to go out without escort.

A Saudi team of experts, which arrived in Aden in the wake of the kidnapping, is examining the incident in an attempt to find the the diplomat's whereabouts.

According to local media, which cited residents from Aden, the kidnappers are asking for legal marriage documents as well as a sum of money.

Security officials in Aden refused to comment on the incident or declare the findings of the initial investigation, but a security source hinted that Al-Khaledi is believed to have been moved to a mountainous area between Aden and Lahj.

The Aden-based Al-Tareeq newspaper quoted a local official as saying that “the kidnapping of the deputy consul is really weird” mysterious, calling on media outlets to check the accuracy of reports, as the topic is sensitive.

In late February, unidentified gunmen intercepted and seized Al-Khaledi's car as well as all of his personal belongings, after they forced him out of the vehicle.