FACTBOX-Facts on recent kidnappings in Somalia

(Reuters) - Somali gunmen kidnapped two Italian aid workers and their Somali colleague on Wednesday in the latest abduction of foreigners in the Horn of Africa country.

Kidnapping is a lucrative business in Somalia, and abductors generally treat their captives well in anticipation of a hefty ransom. Following is a list of some recent kidnappings in Somalia:

* A Kenyan university lecturer was kidnapped earlier this week in Mogadishu by three gunmen. The abductors have demanded $100,000 for his release.

* A Briton and a Kenyan working as contractors for a U.N.-funded project were taken in April by gunmen and taken to Jilib town, 280 km (175 miles) south of Mogadishu. They are still being held.

* Ten men with pistols briefly seized two Libyan diplomats in January while they shopped in a busy market in Mogadishu.

* A Spanish doctor and an Argentine nurse were taken by gunmen in the northern port city of Bosasso at the end of December. The two -- who worked for the Spanish branch of Medecins sans Frontieres -- were later released.

* A French journalist was taken in the northern Puntland region in December and held for eight days before being released. Kidnappers demanded a $80,000 ransom. It was not known if this was paid.

* A Briton and a Kenyan, working for the CARE International relief agency, were released in May last year after being kidnapped in northern Somalia. The two aid workers were used as a bargaining chip in a dispute with authorities.

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(Writing by Jack Kimball)

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