Two American tourists taken hostage by armed Bedouin tribesmen today have been freed by Egyptian authorities. Several hours of negotiations with the kidnappers led to the release of the Americans and their Egyptian tour guide. No one was harmed. The United States Embassy in Cairo has not commented on the situation.
The abduction took place in Saint Catherine, a town near Mount Sinai that is popular among tourists. An unknown number of gunmen in two vehicles forced a minivan carrying the tour guide, two Americans, and three other tourists to stop. The attackers robbed the group before fleeing the area with the hostages. Egyptian authorities say the Bedouins wanted to exchange the hostages for two relatives jailed on drug charges. It is unclear if their demands were met and if any of them have been arrested.
The U.S. State Department has not released the names of the tourists. “We certainly do appreciate the Egyptian authorities' efforts regarding their release," spokesman Mark Toner added.
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