A group of 11 foreign tourists and at least four Egyptians have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in southern Egypt, local media reported on Monday.
Egyptian Minister of Tourism Zuheir Garana told the official MENA news agency that the abducted foreigners include five Germans, five Italians and a Romanian.
Garana confirmed earlier in the day that the kidnapping of tourists occurred on Friday and efforts are underway to rescue the abducted.
Besides the 11 foreign tourists, at least four Egyptians were also among the group held by the bandits in the southern Egyptian governorate of the New Valley at the border areas between Egypt and Sudan.
Earlier on Monday, Egyptian TV reported that the abducted Egyptians include two tour guides, four drivers, a tour leader and the owner of the travel company that organized the trip in the remote areas in Upper Egypt.
Four masked gunmen attacked the group of tourists when they, in four cars, were riding in the remote desert area of Karak Talh in New Valley governorate near the borders with Sudan, MENA quoted an official source as saying on condition of anonymity.
The tourists, along with the tour guides and drivers, were forced to head for the Sudanese territories at gun point, said the source.
Earlier reports estimated the abductors have taken the group of tourists into neighboring Sudan.
It was reported that the owner of the company, whose name was unknown, has managed to make a phone call to his wife on the abduction.
The travel company boss informed his wife in the phone call that the kidnappers were asking for a ransom, which means that the abduction is likely to be only a criminal act and "has nothing to do with terrorism," said MENA.
According to Garana, negotiations are under way with the kidnappers for the release of the foreign tourists and their Egyptian companions, whose exact location is still unknown.
However, a reliable source told MENA that the Egyptian authorities have not received any contact from the abductors and have not held any negotiations with them.
Following the abduction, the Egyptian government has been closely following up the situation.
Egyptian cabinet spokesman Magdi Radi confirmed that the abductors are a four-member criminal gang and they just want to get a ransom, adding Egypt is in contact with the Sudanese side to release the tourists.
In addition, Egyptian Foreign Ministry has been contacting with foreign governments concerned on the abduction of the foreign tourists and working to release them.
Contacts are underway with Egypt's diplomatic missions in the countries whose nationals were among the abducted, Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs and Egyptian Expatriates Ahmed Rizq said.
Egypt, a popular tourist destination, has witnessed a series of attacks against foreign tourists in recent years.
In April, 2006, suicide bomb attacks hit the southern Sinai resort of Dahab and al-Gurah in the Sinai peninsula, killing at least 20 people, including six foreigners, and injuring some 90 others.
On July 23, 2005, three bomb explosions rocked Sharm el-Sheikh,a popular Red Sea resort located some 85 km south of Dahab, leaving at least 60 people dead, including foreigners.
On Nov. 17, 1997, about 60 tourists, including 56 foreigners, were killed by gunmen in the famed southern city of Luxor, some 700 km south of Cairo.
Tourism, along with the Suez Canal receipts, remittances from Egyptian expatriates and gas and oil exports, is one of Egypt's four key foreign currency earners.
The tourism industry in Egypt has recovered gradually after the authorities stepped up security measures to protect tourists following the deadly bombing attacks against holidaymakers.
Source:Xinhua
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