Islamabad - A separatist group, which has been holding a United Nations official for the last two months, said Saturday it has released its captive on "humanitarian grounds," a local media report said.

John Solecki, the regional head of the UN refugee agency in Balochistan, was seized by armed men after an ambush in Quetta, the capital of south-western Balochistan province, in February.

The hitherto unknown rebel group, the Balochistan Liberation United Front (BLUF), claimed at the time it had Solecki in captivity and issued a list of demands, mainly focusing on the release of Baloch people believed to have been detained by the law enforcement agencies.

"BLUF has released the kidnapped UN employee on humanitarian grounds," group spokesman Shehek Baloch told the Pakistani Online newswire by phone from an undisclosed location on Saturday.

"He has been released to give a message to the UN and the world community that Balochs are not terrorists, rather they are a civilized nation," Online quoted the BLUF spokesman as saying.

Jennifer Tagonis, a UN spokesperson in Islamabad, said she could not confirm the report about Solecki's release.

Baloch said Solecki had been dropped off at the Mecca hotel in Khad Koocha area, near the town of Mastung, located some 50 kilometres south of Quetta.

"He (Solecki) is ill, but the health problems can be treated," he added. (dpa)