afrol News, 24 September - Sudanese officials have located 11 foreign tourists and Egyptian guides who were kidnapped by unknown man last Friday in Aswan in remote southern Egypt.

The official, Ali Youssef Ahmed of Foreign Ministry, said the group was about 15 miles inside Sudanese territory, near Jebel Uweinat, a mountain near Sudan's border with Egypt and Libya.

The hostages, five Italians, five Germans, a Romanian and eight Egyptians were roaming Gilf El-Gedid area, a region of sandstone plateaus and hidden caves, when their convoy was seized.

Officials said efforts are continuing to negotiate their release, indicating that German authorities are now leading negotiations with kidnappers.

According to Sudan's state news agency, SUNA, kidnappers demanded $8.8 million, further indicating that Sudanese forces have surrounded the area and an Egyptian team was negotiating with kidnappers.

Undersecretary in Sudan's foreign ministry Mutrif Siddiq said hostages were in Jebel Uweinat area and officials were co-ordinating with their Egyptian counterparts.

"From our point of view the security of the hostages is the absolute priority - we do not want an operation that harms hostages," he added.

Egyptian Tourism Minister Zoheir Garana said the tour operator made contact with his wife on Friday via satellite phone and again on Monday. He said the hostages were "safe and well".

"We are not involved in the negotiations over the ransom. It's the German government that is responsible for whatever is related to the ransom," Mr Garana told Associated Press.

The kidnapping is sensitive for Egypt, where tourism has become a major foreign exchange earner of over US$10.8 billion nationwide last year. In 1997, the industry nearly collapsed after six gunmen shot down 57 tourists, a guide and an Egyptian policeman in Luxor, on the Nile River. Since then, tourists traveling outside Luxor area must move in armed police convoys.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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