SANAA (Reuters) - Yemeni tribesmen kidnapped a U.S. citizen working for a local company just hours after a British hostage held for two weeks was released, a Yemeni official said. The official named the American as Steve Carpenter. "Carpenter, who is working as the director of the Yemeni al-Hashedi Company, was taken to the road leading to Amran area, but it is not yet known where he is now or the name of the tribe holding him," the official said. Amran is about 55 km (35 miles) north of the capital Sanaa. Hashedi works as a subcontractor for independent U.S. firm Hunt Oil in Yemen. The kidnapping brings to five the number of foreigners currently held by tribesmen in the poor Arab country. Four Russians have been held since October 23. Yemeni tribesmen released Briton Henry Thompson early on Thursday after holding him hostage for two weeks, Yemeni government and British embassy officials said. Thompson, who works for a Japanese aid agency, was kidnapped by the Bin Zabyan tribe on October 15 near Anz, about 100 km (60 miles) south of Sanaa. Diplomats said he was held in the mountains of Marib governorate, to the east of the capital. The tribesmen were demanding more jobs and utility projects in their region in exchange for Thompson's release. It was not clear whether any of their demands were met. The Russians, two doctors and their wives, are still being held by the al-Hada tribe near the town of Dhamar, also about 100 km (60 miles) south of the capital Sanaa. The tribesmen are demanding the government implement a death sentence against four child rapists. They have suggested the Russians could be replaced with four Yemeni hostages. Kidnapping is a common ploy by Yemeni tribes with grudges against the government or foreign oil companies working in the Arab state. Kidnappers' demands have often focused on land or water issues and have rarely been political. There have been no casualties among the hostages. In some cases Yemeni security forces have rescued the captives, usually Western tourists, diplomats or businessmen. Others have been set free by their abductors, but it has never been officially confirmed whether any demands were met.