Ethiopia sends elders to help release kidnapped tourists

By Aaron Maasho

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Authorities in Ethiopia's northern Afar region have sent elders to try to secure the release of two German tourists and two Ethiopians kidnapped by gunmen in the remote province, an official said on Thursday.

The four were part of a large group of 27 tourists attacked by gunmen at dawn Tuesday. Two other Germans, two Hungarians and an Austrian were killed in the raid.

Ethiopia has accused neighbour and arch-foe Eritrea of being behind the attack, claiming it had trained and armed the gunmen. Ethiopia also blamed an Afar rebel movement it said was backed by Eritrea for kidnapping five Westerners in the region in 2007.

Ethiopia also says the hostages may have been taken to Eritrea. Eritrea rejects Ethiopia's accusations.

"The region is doing all it can to have them released. We have dispatched a team of elders to secure their freedom from their captors," Ismael Ali Sero, president of the Afar Region, told state-run Ethiopian Television (ETV).

Ismael did not disclose whether the group had already made contact with the captors, or if officials had located their hideout.

Foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told Reuters the Horn of Africa country was "doing its best" to secure their release.

A Hungarian national, a Belgian and a citizen of another country who resides in Brussels were also wounded in the attack and have been taken to a hospital in Mekele, northern Ethiopia's largest city.