Security forces in Egypt have mistakenly killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, during an anti-terror operation, the interior ministry says. CAIRO, Egypt (CNN)-- Some of the 11 European tourists and their Egyptian guides kidnapped 10 days ago and released unharmed Monday have left an Egyptian hospital and are headed home, officials said. "If we hadn't gotten the meeting we asked for, we would have taken the tourists to a secret location as punishment. Two tourists, an Israeli man and a Norwegian woman, have been kidnapped by armed men in the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, security officials said. * With additional reporting by AFP, Sheikh Hamdan conquers Yosemites Half Dome hike, Lindsay Lohan gives birth in Dubai to first child, Dubai resident went from washing cars to owning 14 luxury vehicles, Watch: Plane battles strong winds to land at Heathrow, Temperatures to reach record highs in Europe as anticyclone Charon hits. Two British tourists in southern Sinai have been freed just hours after their kidnapping, an Egyptian military intelligence official has said. One security source said the kidnappers may alternatively be citizens of nearby Chad, where both Sudanese and Chadian rebels operate. The tourists were travelling in four. Egyptian television said those held included an Egyptian border guard officer. The gunmen in that case has also demanded the release of fellow tribesmen from prison and held the Chinese workers for less than a day before freeing them. released from Houthi detention after 'enormous efforts' Sat, 05 Dec 2020 - 02:58 GMT. The abduction took place along the road linking Cairo to the sixth-century St. Catherine's Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Sinai where the Old Testament says Moses received the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments. "Why would militants or terrorists do such an act in a deserted place like this? hide caption. Legal Statement. Khaled Fouda says he has tried to diffuse the crisis. Gilf al-Kebir, where the tourists were seized, attracts adventure travelers with bleak scenes including a massive crater and the Cave of Swimmers, whose prehistoric paintings were made famous by the 1996 film The English Patient. The negotiations are still continuing, cabinet spokesman Magdy Radi told Reuters. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. So was a group of South Korean tourists, kidnapped last month by members of the same tribe. Most of the attacks occurred in Cairo and southern Egypt. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Several other tourists have been held briefly by tribesmen in recent months and released unharmed, often after less than a few hours of negotiations with authorities. Since 2004 there have been a string of attacks on the beach resorts of the Sinai peninsula, which are popular with both tourists and Egyptians. The AFP news agency said they were a husband and wife, adding that the kidnappers told reporters they wanted the release of four people held over arms trafficking. The men robbed the passengers of money, watches and cellphones before abducting the two American women and their guide and driving off into the mountains, according to state media reports. Man recovering after 2 months lost at sea with dog on damaged boat, Maps show where the Canadian wildfires are burning. The Bedouins. Two American women were kidnapped in Sinai in February last year but Egyptian authorities negotiated their release a few hours later. There were contradictory reports about the fate of the hostages. According to the Italian news service ANSA, all of the Italian tourists who were kidnapped were residents of the Turin area. Egyptian state media said that an unspecified number of gunmen sped up to the minivan in a small pickup truck and a car. They had been abducted by unknown Bedouins, said . The group were taken captive by the gunmen and had been taken outside the country, Zoheir Garana, Egypt's tourism minister, said yesterday. Terrorism - Egypt travel advice - GOV.UK AI quiz: Can you tell which person is real? The hostage-taker, an Egyptian Bedouin named Jirmy Abu-Masuh, told the Associated Press that he had handed the three over to security officials near the northern Sinai city of el-Arish on Monday after he was promised that authorities were working on his uncle's release. Tourists' captor to hold "guests" until uncle freeU.S. March 10,2018 13:34 * As we have already informed, on March 1-8, 30 Armenian media representatives were in a visit to Sharm el-Sheikh. It was not immediately clear if any ransom had been paid. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Kidnappers seize foreign tourists in Egypt | Reuters Market data provided by Factset. The kidnappings come as a climate of lawlessness is gripping Egypt, especially after a soccer riot on Wednesday night that left about 70 people dead. The threat is highest in North Sinai and the remoter areas of the Western Desert. Sport's strictest dress code finally relents. Ahmed Rizq, assistant foreign minister for consular affairs, said his ministry was co-ordinating efforts with the countries of the hostages. In April 2006, 20 people were killed in bomb blasts in Dahab, 70 were killed in Sharm El-Sheikh in July 2005 and 34 people were killed in Taba in October 2004. (CBS/AP) Two American tourists and their Egyptian guide who were kidnapped in the Sinai Peninsula on Friday have been released, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo has confirmed . Farag Ateq, the uncle of the dead taxi driver, says he doesn't condone the recent kidnappings or violence, but that if his nephew doesn't receive justice, then "there will be blood.". The tourists were seized while travelling between . Talks were under way to pay the ransom, he was initially quoted as saying by the official Mena news agency. Powerful solar flares are possible today. "She witnessed the whole thing, so you can only imagine," he said. Egypt | SafeTravel None of the Bedouin prisoners were released. Police hunting fugitives have staged mass arrests to pressure families to hand over their relatives. July 16, 2012 / 1:41 PM July 13, 2023 Egypt - Level 3: Reconsider Travel O T Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. The group had been on a Safari trip that started on Sept 16 and was supposed to end on Saturday in el Galf el Kebir, which borders Libya, Sudan and Chad. Officials say the captives were held 2 miles from Egypt's border with Israel. What happened on the Kerch bridge? The men . Culture & Society > 14 tourists kidnapped in Egypt. Attacks on tourists in Egypts Nile Valley and the deserts around it have been rare in recent years, though a series of bombings targeted tourists in resorts in the Sinai Peninsula between 2004 and 2006. More and more foreign visitors are visiting the remote southwest of Egypt near its borders with Sudan and Libya to see priceless rock art preserved for millennia in one of the most-isolated reaches of the Sahara. They, like many Bedouins across Sinai, complain about receiving substandard services and education from the Egyptian government, which has also seized their lands. Three major bombings - in Taba in 2004, Sharm el Sheikh in 2005 and Dahab in 2006 - killed 121 people and were blamed on disgruntled Bedouins living in Sinai. The disappearance of two American tourists threatened to deal a further blow to Egypts sputtering tourism industry, among the nations most important sources of income, which collapsed in the wake of the revolution last year and in the political uncertainty that has followed. All rights reserved. The country has faced a surge of political unrest and crime since last year's uprising. Authorities say the two were involved in the robbery, although their relatives say that surveillance tape and fingerprints prove the two weren't involved. What happened on the Kerch bridge? The warning came just weeks before Jewish New Year holiday, which is marked this year on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, when thousands of Israelis usually flock to Egypts Sinai peninsula. The two were kidnapped while travelling in a. The most important news from Armenia on Telegram. Ismail Alexanderani, an Egyptian researcher who specializes in the Bedouins, says neglect was part of a plan by former President Hosni Mubarak to weaken Egypt's minorities to prevent dissent. Reconsider travel to Egypt due to terrorism . Sept. 22, 2008. Last Updated 1:39.p.m. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic. Resentment still felt beneath calm in Port Said, Europe to get even hotter as 50C (122F) recorded in US and China, Putin vows response after 'terrorist' Crimea bridge attack. The burnt out villages at frontlines of India violence, Nigeria's 'tax collectors': Menacing and mafia-like, The Capitol rioters who regret saying sorry, The surprising truth behind the 'walking' statues of Easter Island. Video, The surprising truth behind the 'walking' statues of Easter Island. Egyptian officials said earlier on Monday they would not release the uncle until he completes a 15-day prison sentence for possession of drugs. Many are now heavily armed with weapons smuggled in from Libya and Sudan. Egypts state news agency MENA also said talks were still under way, citing an unnamed official. CAIRO Bedouin gunmen stormed a minivan in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Friday, kidnapping two American tourists and an Egyptian tour guide for several hours before releasing them . Are Canadian wildfires under control? Karson says if you are considering making a trip to a country that is politically unstable, there are several things to do prevent yourself from being a target. The tourists, aged 60 and 65, were returning from the popular St. Catherines Monastery to the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. The most recent attacks occurred between 2004 and 2006 in popular Red Sea resorts in the Sinai. An hour later, police shot dead a Bedouin taxi driver and wounded his friend. Egyptian Police Return Kidnapped Boy Within 24 Hours Ayman el Zawahri, al Qa'eda's number two, is Egyptian, and he dedicated his last audio tape, posted on the internet, a few days ago to talking about the rockslide that killed more than 100 poor Egyptians two weeks ago. A 4-5 year old girl was packing the goods in the store, in . Terrorism in Egypt - Wikipedia Terrorism in Egypt Terrorism in Egypt in the 20th and 21st centuries has targeted the Egyptian government officials, Egyptian police and Egyptian army members, tourists, Sufi Mosques and the Christian minority. Tourist Kidnapping Watch this Topic Browse forums All Africa forums Egypt forum IsleofWightCam1 Isle of Wight Level Contributor 206 posts 9 reviews 4 helpful votes Tourist Kidnapping 11 years ago Save 2 tourists kidnapped . Egypt 'kidnapping': Two British tourists are freed - BBC News The route is a frequent target by Bedouins who abduct tourists to pressure police to meet their demands, usually to release a detained relative they say has been unjustly arrested. Security sources said there was no sign militant Islamists were involved in the kidnapping. Visitors queue outside the temple of Abu Simbel, Egypt, in this February 22, 2007 file photo. Egypt last night insisted the kidnappers were not Egyptians, but from bordering African countries. A Bedouin guide makes his way down from Mount Sinai to the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Fun stories about food, relationships, the great outdoors and more. Sheik Ahmed Hashem, 37, who heads the Revolutionary Movement of Sinai, led a group of some 150 protesters that detained two busloads of Western tourists earlier this year for five hours at a monastery in Wadi Feiran in South Sinai. Three major bombings - in Taba in 2004, Sharm el Sheikh in 2005 and Dahab in 2006 - killed 121 people and were blamed on disgruntled Bedouins living in Sinai. All the contact is indirect through the tourist company", Mr Rady said. Earlier this year, Ahmed Hashem and scores of other Bedouin activists from his Kararesha tribe held a sit-in in the town of Wadi Feiran in South Sinai. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike . World 8 Mexican tourists killed in mistaken Egyptian shooting, Mexico says Desert guide who witnessed shooting says it could be linked to kidnapping of local resident by militants The. 2023 BBC. VideoWhat happened on the Kerch bridge? The minivan was carrying three other tourists in addition to the Americans, but their nationalities were not given. Egypt: Freed European hostages heading home - CNN.com hide caption. They had been due to reach another oasis on Saturday to end their tour, but never made it. "The Egyptian government doesn't negotiate but the security services are trying to locate the hostages. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. VideoThe surprising truth behind the 'walking' statues of Easter Island, Jane Birkin: Artist and style icon's life in pictures, How world-record mania has gripped Nigeria. The brief abduction of two American women and their Egyptian guide at gunpoint along a major highway in Egypt's Sinai peninsula Friday is a reminder that theres real danger traveling to countries in political turmoil, say security experts. confirms 2 Americans kidnapped in Sinai. They frequently enter homes by force and detain women - particularly provocative acts in conservative Bedouin society. Hashem says they blocked the gate and prevented the Westerners from leaving for five hours. Tourists Kidnapped in Egypt SCARY Updated Apr. Egypt 'kidnapping': Two British tourists are freed - BBC News CAIRO (Reuters) - Masked kidnappers have taken 19 people hostage, including Western tourists on safari in a remote desert border area of Egypt, and whisked them over the frontier into Sudan,. What happened on the Kerch bridge? Abu-Masuh had said he would not free the two Americans until his uncle was released from jail. But these days, some Bedouins are using tourists for something completely different: as hostages in their political battle with the Egyptian government. "The State Department advisories, you should read them and take them seriously, says Karson. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Security in the isolated desert region has deteriorated since the overthrow of the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, in a popular uprising two years ago. 2 U.S. tourists abducted in Egypt freed - CBS News In Rome, the foreign ministry said five Italians were among those kidnapped. Legal Statement. or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Sheik Ahmed Hashem, 37, who heads the Revolutionary Movement of Sinai, led a group of some 150 protesters that detained two busloads of Western tourists earlier this year for five hours at a monastery in Wadi Feiran in South Sinai. Attacks on tourists is a sensitive issue for Egypt, harking back to the mid-1990s when the regime was battling militants who targeted mainly tourists, officials, police officers and Coptic Christians. Kidnappings fail to deter Egypt adventure tourists - YouTube However, later in the day, Mena issued another statement by Mr Garana denying the government was in talks with the captors. In November 1997, 62 people among them 58 foreign visitors were killed in an attack on a popular tourist site in the southern Nile resort of Luxor. The kidnapping occurred in the New Valley governate, the least densely populated region of Egypt. Read about our approach to external linking. Sport's strictest dress code finally relents. The owner was identified by ANSA as Ibrahim Abdelrahim, and his wife as Kristen Butterwick-Abdelrahim. The Bedouins depend on tourism, but have been kidnapping visitors in recent months in an attempt to pressure Egypt's government. But he adds that his tribesmen don't feel they have a choice but to involve tourists in their battles with Egyptian authorities. ITP Media Group. Tourist Kidnapping - Egypt Forum - Tripadvisor Their nationalities were not given. But the fall of the Mubarak regime weakened Egypt's security apparatus and gave the Bedouins a rare opportunity to fight back. News that tourists had been kidnapped in Upper Egypt, which was once a hotbed of radical Islamic terrorism, at first raised fears of a potentially crippling blow to tourism, one of the main pillars of the Egyptian economy. Yacht called Kaos vandalized by climate activists in Ibiza, Tourists' captor to hold "guests" until uncle free, U.S. confirms 2 Americans kidnapped in Sinai. Like many Bedouins in the area, he refers to them as "accidents.". CAIRO (Reuters) - Kidnappers who snatched European tourists in Egypt's desert last week exploited a weak spot in Cairo's security network, but the kidnapping is unlikely to herald . British tourists freed hours after being kidnapped in Egypt But Hashem says no official ever came. Sheik Majid Rabie is a Kararesha tribal leader who negotiated with the kidnappers. Al Qaeda often condemns Egypts government as a corrupt U.S. puppet and calls for its overthrow. nmagd@thenational.ae "However, regardless of whether this crime has political or criminal motives, its has political and economic consequences, revealing a kind of instability in the country which is not attractive to tourists or investors. 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Libyan Arms Flow Into Egypt Across Northern Sinai, Egypt's State Security Gets Very Interested When Reporters Talk To Bedouins, Eco-Tourism Holds Promise, Peril For Egyptian Oasis, Egypt Explores Tourism Beyond The Package Tour. Abducted American tourists in Egypt is a reminder of travel dangers Tea and Kidnapping - The Atlantic Security sources said the kidnappers were demanding 6 million euros ($8.8 million) to free the hostages, identified as five Italians, five Germans, a Romanian and eight Egyptians. ET. Production at Libya's Sharara oilfield, which was shut on Thursday following the abduction of a former finance minister, has partially resumed at 30,000 barrels per day out of . VideoThe surprising truth behind the 'walking' statues of Easter Island, Jane Birkin: Artist and style icon's life in pictures, How world-record mania has gripped Nigeria. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Two other US tourists were kidnapped in late May that year, and then two more US tourists in July. Protesters clashed with police officers in the streets of Cairo surrounding the Interior Ministry on Thursday night and Friday morning, and four more deaths were reported. Militant Islamists launched a series of attacks on tourists in the Nile Valley in the 1990s. If it is kidnapping for ransom, chances are good youll at some point, youll be exchanged, he says. Premature to say hostages freed: Egyptian official. Travel companies have been offering deep discounts to lure tourists to Egypt, which has seen an almost 30 percent drop in tourism since last year. First, he says, dont dress like an American. Security officials said the demand was for more than $1 million. These latest kidnappings come at a bad time for Egypt as the country prepares for the autumn and winter tourism seasons, which are concentrated in southern Egypt, where the tourists were abducted. They said there was no sign militant Islamists were involved. Security in the isolated desert region has deteriorated since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak two years ago. During the visit, we noticed that children work with adults. Bedouin have attacked police stations, blocked access to towns and taken hostages to show their discontent with what they see as their poor treatment by Cairo and to press for the release of jailed kinsmen. HOUSTON - Two men from Houston kidnapped in Egypt on Wednesday are safe Thursday night in Israel. FILE: Saint Catherine's Monastery, founded by the Emperor St. Justinian the Great in 527, at the foot of Mount Sinai in Saint Catherine, Sinai, Egypt. 1 2 U.S. Karson advises to travel in large groups, don't go off the beaten path and hire a reputable local guide who speaks the local language and, if needed, can negotiate on your behalf. Market data provided by Factset. Do not travel to: Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Louis, a Presbyterian pastor, was on the trip with his wife, Fredrick Gladys Louis, who was on the bus with him at the time and remained in Egypt afterward waiting for his release, their son, Rev. Two tourists, an Israeli man and a Norwegian woman, have been kidnapped by armed men in the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, security officials said. Can US and China set aside rivalry for climate action? Here's what to know. Egypt Kidnapping rate, 2003-2022 - knoema.com This is an act of banditry not of terrorism, the tourism ministry said, adding that those responsible have asked for an undisclosed sum of money as a ransom. A threat of kidnapping also exists elsewhere in Egypt and foreigners could be deliberately targeted. Bedouin and Egyptian rights groups say the security forces are responsible for many abuses. In 2008, masked gunmen grabbed 11 tourists five Germans, five Italians and a Romanian along with eight Egyptian guides. Video, The surprising truth behind the 'walking' statues of Easter Island, Putin vows response after 'terrorist' bridge attack, Victim's family gets $15m in Murdaugh boat crash, US military emails sent to Russian ally by mistake, Mysterious dome washes up on Australian beach, New drugs for Alzheimers hailed as turning point, Plane crash at Polish airfield leaves five dead, Djokovic fined for smashing racquet in final loss, Sir Elton John gives evidence in Spacey trial, Summer camp evacuated as Greece wildfire nears, Australian man and his dog survive months at sea. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. What happened on the Kerch bridge? Kidnapping There is a threat of kidnapping throughout Egypt. It was a hot afternoon in. "There is no direct contact with the kidnappers. Europe to get even hotter as 50C (122F) recorded in US and China, Putin vows response after 'terrorist' Crimea bridge attack. "They have been kidnapped and they have been moved outside the Egyptian borders by four criminals who have kidnapped them," Mr Garana said. Security officials say some Bedouin are involved in smuggling of drugs and migrants endemic to the peninsula.