Government sources in Yemen say tribesmen have kidnapped at least three French nationals in the country.
The sources say armed members of the Abdullah tribe seized the foreigners in Shabwa province in the eastern part of Yemen.
Yemeni tribesmen seeking concessions from their government frequently abduct foreigners and then make demands for their release.
In January, five Italian tourists were kidnapped and then released one week later by their captors.
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh has vowed to crack down on lawlessness. Yemen has also been battling terrorism by members of al-Qaida.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.