SRINAGAR. Dec 11: Four Western tourists kidnapped by Muslim separatists more than five months ago have been sighted by villagers In southern Kashmir and are apparently in good health sources said today, reports AFP.

The sources who requested anonymity, said the captives had been seen on Sunday In a village near the resort of Achabal some 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of this Kashmir summer capital.

"AU of the four were visibly health one source said. They were wearing heavy Kashmiri woolens and had beards."

They looked as though they had adjusted themselves to the surroundings."

Al-Faran. the Muslim separatist group which kidnapped the two Britons, American and German in early July, has claimed previously that two of the hostages were seriously ill.

The sources said the hostages were guarded by several dozen heavily armed guerillas at all times.

The sighting catne a day after the Indian army said the hostages may have been "abandoned" In the Kashmiri Himalayas or turned over by Al-Faran to another militant group.

The army attributed the information to "confessions" extracted from three "foreign mercenaries," arrested during a firefight on December 4 which left a top leader of Al-Faran dead.