Eight Ethiopians who had been captured along with a group of European tourists who were released earlier today made their way back to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa after being held for 52 days in one of the most inhospitable areas on Earth.

Ethiopia today accused bitter rival Eritrea of orchestrating the kidnapping of five Europeans and eight Ethiopians, describing it as an act of terrorism.

Five freed British Embassy hostages are to be reunited with family and loved ones after being kidnapped in Ethiopia and held captive for 13 days by an armed rebel group, officials said today.

Britain was sending a 10-man crisis team to Ethiopia today after at least a dozen Western tourists were kidnapped in remote north-eastern Ethiopia, a barren expanse of volcanoes and ancient salt mines where bandits and rebels operate.

Five Britons are missing after 10 French tourists were kidnapped in the remote desert of northern Ethiopia, it was reported today.