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13/03/2007
Britons kidnapped in Ethiopia freed
A group of British embassy workers kidnapped in Ethiopia earlier this month have been released in neighbouring country Eritrea, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has announced.
The five hostages - named as Peter Rudge and Jonathan Ireland from the British Embassy in Addis Ababa, Rosanna Moore, the wife of the head of the British Council in Addis Ababa, Malcolm Smart and French national Laure Beaufils from the Department for International Development - were on a tourist trip in the Afar region in northern Ethiopia when they were kidnapped on March 1.
The hostages are now being looked after at the British Embassy in the Eritrean capital of Asmara.
Commenting on the hostages, Mrs Beckett said: "Broadly, they are all in good health.
"We have informed the families of all five, who were, of course, very relieved and are looking forward to being reunited."
The Foreign Secretary also paid tribute to British Embassy officials who, she said, had "worked tirelessly" in order to secure the groups release and also thanked both the Ethiopian and Eritrean prime ministers for their "exceptional assistance".
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the release of the hostages was welcomed.
It is believed that the embassy staff were not specifically targeted, but had been kidnapped by mistake.
However, eight Ethiopians who were seized at the same time have still not been released and Mrs Beckett said that there was still concern for their welfare.
(KMcA/JM)
The five hostages - named as Peter Rudge and Jonathan Ireland from the British Embassy in Addis Ababa, Rosanna Moore, the wife of the head of the British Council in Addis Ababa, Malcolm Smart and French national Laure Beaufils from the Department for International Development - were on a tourist trip in the Afar region in northern Ethiopia when they were kidnapped on March 1.
The hostages are now being looked after at the British Embassy in the Eritrean capital of Asmara.
Commenting on the hostages, Mrs Beckett said: "Broadly, they are all in good health.
"We have informed the families of all five, who were, of course, very relieved and are looking forward to being reunited."
The Foreign Secretary also paid tribute to British Embassy officials who, she said, had "worked tirelessly" in order to secure the groups release and also thanked both the Ethiopian and Eritrean prime ministers for their "exceptional assistance".
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the release of the hostages was welcomed.
It is believed that the embassy staff were not specifically targeted, but had been kidnapped by mistake.
However, eight Ethiopians who were seized at the same time have still not been released and Mrs Beckett said that there was still concern for their welfare.
(KMcA/JM)
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