(AKI) - The 19 hostages, including five German and five Italian tourists, who were abducted in southern Egypt over a week ago were freed on Monday and flown to Cairo. The hostages who were kidnapped in Egypt's Western Desert ten days ago arrived in Cairo aboard a military aircraft following their rescue. Egyptian officials and foreign diplomats welcomed the 11 tourists - five Italians, five Germans and a Romanian woman - along with the eight Egyptians from their tour group, after their arrival at a military airport in the capital.Italy's Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, confirmed Egyptian media reports that the hostages were freed on Monday morning. Their captors allegedly took them to neighbouring Sudan. The minister said the hostages' release was the result of "international collaboration".
The five Italians, five Germans and a Romanian - and their guides were kidnapped on 19 September on the Gilf al-Kebir plateau, close to the Libyan and Sudanese borders. Since then, they have reportedly been moved around a lawless desert region touching on the borders of Egypt, Sudan, Libya and Chad. There were reports that six of their captors were shot dead on Sunday.