Two Kenyans who were on Sunday kidnapped by armed men in Somalia's restive capital Mogadishu have been freed, a colleague said.

More than 10 armed men snatched the two unnamed Kenyans on Sunday evening from a Printing agency called Hamar Ade located in Mogadishu's Bakara market, the stronghold of Somalia's militant group Al-Shabaab, which is fighting the fragile UN-backed Somali transition government.

A colleague at the printing centre said the pair were released on Tuesday and had flown out the Horn of Africa country to Nairobi.

"They were released mid-day and they have already reached Nairobi by now," he said.

Abdukar Ali, manager of the Hamar Adde printing centre, who was also taken with the pair and later released, has also confirmed the release of the two Kenyans.

Somali abductors usually release their hostages when they receive ransom but in this case, there is no word on whether money has been paid.

Somalia, marred by two decades-long civil strife is rated one of the most dangerous zones for foreigners particular aid workers and journalists who are targeted by ransom-hunting gunmen.

Some foreigners are still held by ransom hunting Somali captors who usually release their hostages once they bank millions of dollars in ransom.