Kidnapped Egypt tourists are released

A group of tourists and their guides kidnapped at gunpoint in Egypt was freed today.

The group, which includes five Germans, five Italians and one Romanian, disappeared on September 19 while on a desert safari trip in a remote corner of south-western Egypt.

Their abductors took them to Sudan, then to Libya, but their final whereabouts were unclear.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the 11 tourists and eight guides have been freed, were in the hands of Egyptian authorities and their condition was being checked.

An Egyptian report referred to an “operation this morning” to free the 19 but did not say where it took place. It said all 19 were in good health, but again gave no details.

“Our compatriots and the other hostages in Egypt have been freed,” Mr Frattini said.

“It is the result of international cooperation for which we have to be really grateful to the authorities of other countries that have been working with us.”

German officials had been negotiating with the kidnappers, who were demanding millions of dollars in ransom.

Yesterday Sudan’s military said eight kidnappers led soldiers on a high-speed desert chase, ending in a gun battle that left all but two of the gunmen dead.

Five soldiers were also injured in the chase, which started when a vehicle carrying the gunmen refused to halt.