Briton caught in tourist gun attack

A member of the tourist group that was attacked walks with his head covered on his arrival back at the airport in Addis Ababa (AP)
12 April 2012

A British national was among a group of Europeans caught up in a deadly attack by gunmen in Ethiopia, it has emerged.

Five foreign tourists were killed, five people kidnapped and two wounded in the incident in the country's arid north before dawn on Tuesday, reports said.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a British national was involved in an incident on January 17 in Danakil. We are providing consular assistance."

It is understood that the Briton was not among those killed or kidnapped.

Earlier, a British diplomat at the airport in Addis Ababa, where embassy staff met wounded victims on Wednesday night, had said a UK tourist may have been among the group which was attacked.

The Ethiopian government has branded the attack "an act of open terrorism". It said the gunmen came from Eritrea, although the neighbouring country has denied involvement.

The tourists were visiting a volcanic region in Ethiopia's northern Afar region, which lies below sea level and is known for its extreme heat and salt flats.

The group included Austrian, Belgian, German, Hungarian and Italian nationals, Ethiopian communications minister Bereket Simon said.

According to an Interpol report, two Germans, two Hungarians and an Austrian were killed. Two Belgians were seriously hurt and two Italians escaped unharmed, the report said. Two Germans were kidnapped and three Ethiopians were also reportedly taken hostage.

In a statement, the Ethiopian government offered condolences to the victims' families and said it would "do everything possible to try and get those taken prisoner released as soon as possible". It said those kidnapped may have been taken across the border into Eritrea.

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