Kidnap Britons 'Held By Rebels'

London/Addis Ababa, March 9, 2007 – Reports that UK embassy staff kidnapped in Ethiopia are in the hands of Afar separatist rebels are being investigated, the Foreign Office says.

The group, comprising of four Britons, one French citizen and eight Ethiopians, disappeared eight days ago.

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister says the staff are being held in the area of the Danakil Depression.

But the Foreign Office said it could not to confirm this and the kidnappers had not made contact.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said the party was in the Afar region, which covers areas on both sides of Eritrea and Ethiopia border.

He said they were "safe and well" but did not know who the kidnappers were.

"We cannot disclose the place where they are because we believe that this will endanger their safety," he added.

According to a community leader, information about the kidnapped group was passed on by nomadic herders in Eritrea.

Reuters quoted Ismeal Ali Gardo, co-founder of the Afar Pastoralists Development Association, as saying the group was "unharmed and safe" and being held in the Eritrean border town of Wayeme by the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front.

Speaking at a European Union summit in Brussels, UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the government was looking into the reports of the sighting.

"We have had indications that there are people who are saying that the hostages are OK.

"Obviously the issue of where they are is still something that is having to be looked at."

Eritrean denial

Vehicles used by the party were found in the town of Hamedali near the border on Monday - all appeared to have been damaged either by shrapnel or an explosion.

Vehicles used by the party were found in the town of Hamedali

The missing Europeans are either British embassy staff, or relatives of officials. Three are Britons, one has joint Italian-British nationality, and the other is French.

An Eritrean government spokesman denied the embassy staff were in the country.

"We understand the concern of the families, but this event happened inside Ethiopia and it is taking place inside Ethiopia," Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu told Reuters.

Eritrea had previously denied claims its forces took them over the disputed border.

The UK Foreign Office said it was satisfied the Eritrean government had no part in the abduction and that it was co-operating with the search.

Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 following a 30-year guerrilla war and relations between the two countries have been strained since.

Source: BBC News

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives