Gilf Kibir kidnappings

[andrasz]

Originally Posted by saharagems

Would you be so kind to inform me about any news concerning the permissions

I'll be posting here any news that appear to be credible. However be prepared that just like after the January incident, there will be a lot of Chinese whispers.

[Ulrich]

Some more news:

The Sudanese authorities say they have pinpointed the location at which 11 foreign tourists and their eight Egyptian guides are being held.

BBC - Egypt hostages' location 'known'

Till soon

Ulrich

[Roman]

Andras,

Would you know where exactly the incident took place? World media mention the name "Wadi el-Gadid", but then they have no clue where it is. See here.

11 tourists, eight Egyptians kidnapped - CNN.com

BTW, apart from being completely clueless about geography, I also noticed they were making up their own conjectures about the incident.

The initial CNN report quoted an Egyptian source as saying: "The tourist group started their safari last week in Dakhla in western Sahara Desert, near Morocco" (sic!). Later on they removed part of this ludicrous quote from the report.

How far the group might have gone into the Sudan?

[andrasz]

Originally Posted by Roman

Would you know where exactly the incident took place?

The consensus I'm picking up on the grapevine is that the attack happened in Karkur Talh, and the group may now be somewhere close to Uweinat on the Sudanese side. However nothing is confirmed, and no new info really over the past two days.

[Richard Washington]

Most of the reports seem to be saying that the group is close to the triple point, on the south side of the mountain in Sudan. But if I were a bandit, I'd have taken the group at least 100 km south in the midst of northern Sudan. Don't you think staying near Jebel Uweinat is unlikely as it is too exposed and too close to Egypt and Libya?

[andrasz]

Originally Posted by Richard Washington

Most of the reports seem to be saying that the group is close to the triple point, on the south side of the mountain in Sudan. But if I were a bandit, I'd have taken the group at least 100 km south in the midst of northern Sudan. Don't you think staying near Jebel Uweinat is unlikely as it is too exposed and too close to Egypt and Libya?

I agree, however you need to have a water source to sustain 20+ people, so Karkur Murr sounds plausible. It was only reported that the abductors were 4 or 5, but the 'support team' could be much larger. However this is all speculation, there could be deliberate misreports all over the press statements.

[Ulrich]

Something new

Reuters - Troops watch kidnap group in Sahara, avoid attack

Regards

Ulrich

[Roman]

Hi,

I just had a word with my source in EG. Apparently Karkur Murr was the place where these guys were last seen. The word is out there's no immediate ban expected on travel to the area, just a strong warning to avoid Karkur Talh and the border area close to Al Uweinat.

[Ulrich]

The latest news:

Reuters - Egypt is in direct talks with kidnappers - source

Regards

Ulrich

[Richard Washington]

As Andrasz pointed out earlier, the rumours are likely to be more imaginative than normal for this event so, bearing that in mind (!) there are reports that the German govt only is reponsible for the 6m euro ransom and that the money should be delivered by the german wife of the tour operator.

I wonder if the bandits have been following the Malian story? That ransom money has apparently become stuck somewhere.

More here:

Egypt: Kidnappers demand €6m: Africa: News: News24

[Chris Scott]

Hi all, fyi I just removed the parallel thread understandably complaining about this Gilf thread being moved as it has now been sorted.

As with 'Tunisia' earlier this year I was not asked or informed, even though I moderate this forum hourly whenever a computer is at hand. Sahara gets a lot more traffic than other HU forums.

I have explained to Grant that Gilf is hundreds of miles from any overland route and so on HU is only of interest to Saharans.

I hope these guys, let alone the long forgoten Austrians, get released soon.

Ch
(in ISB)

[andrasz]

Thanks Chris!

I have not received any credible news over the past day, I consder most of the stuff appearing on the news to be pure speculation to hide the fact that nothing is known. Probably we are not going to hear much until the situation is resolved one way or another.

Will keep posting any reliable looking news.

[Richard Washington]

and now that the group is in Libya....
Hostages moved to Libya: Africa: News: News24

Interestingly the Austrians taken in Tunisia, were moved through Algeria to Mal and some reports say they are shifted across the boder to Niger from time to time. If all these reports are true, then the bandits will know that getting a coordinated response from 2 or 3 countries is much more difficult - something which makes resuce of the kidnapped more difficult and therefore keeps the bandits in control. In this sense the triple point (Egypt, Libya, Sudan) lends itself to the tactic.

[andrasz]

Originally Posted by Richard Washington

and now that the group is in Libya....
Hostages moved to Libya: Africa: News: News24

I consider this piece of news to be very unlikely. With the Libyans the only ones having a permanent military and police presence in the area (at Ain Dua and Ain Ghazal along the western side of Uweinat), I'm sure they would have kept an eye open for just such an eventuality. I think it is rather more likely that the Sudanese, who for the past day claimed that they knew where the abductors are and are "keeping an eye on them", in fact have no idea, and this way they can easily disclaim all responsibility with a "now it's not our problem".

I would only consider this news to be credible if it were a part of a negotiated settlement, leaving the group at the Libyan post with free passage to the abductors, but again this is very unlikely and nothing of the sort mentioned.

[andrasz]

I promised myself not to repost bits of news or make fun of this rather sad situation, but I could not resist when I read this one:

Originally Posted by Deutsche Welle

Sudanese Foreign Ministry official Ali Youssef had said on Thursday that government forces had sealed off the village where the kidnappers were thought to be hiding.