Sudanese authorities say 11 European tourists and eight Egyptian guides kidnapped in the desert five days ago are safe and well.
Officials say the hostages are being watched by security forces and that in order Five killed in Gaza tunnel blast ...
Kidnappers seize foreign tourists in Egypt ... to safeguard the tourists there would be no military rescue operation.
The captives include five Germans, and the German government is reported to be in contact with the kidnappers.
The hostages were seized in Egypt, but were moved over the border into Sudan.
"We have fresh reports today that they [the hostages] are all well. Today we are 100% sure that they are okay," Foreign Ministry official Ali Youssef Ahmed told the Reuters news agency.
"The kidnappers are being watched from a distance. We know their movements... There is full agreement between all those who are concerned that there will be no military operation in the meantime, to safeguard the safety of the hostages," he added.
A Sudanese official said on Tuesday that the hostages were in a no-man's land between the Sudanese, Libyan and Egyptian borders.
Egyptian Tourism Minister Zoheir Garana said the tour operator made contact with his wife on Friday via satellite phone and again on Monday. He said the hostages were "safe and well".
Germany has not commented on its role beyond saying it has set up a crisis group.
The tourists and their guides were kidnapped in a remote area of south-west Egypt on Friday.
As well as the Germans, five Italians and a Romanian tourist are being held.
The Egyptian tourism ministry said two guides, four drivers, a guard and the owner of the travel company were also taken.
Egyptian officials say the kidnappers are gangsters who are demanding $15m in ransom money.
They are not thought to have made any political demands as yet.
(BBC)
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