German hostages in Ethiopia are in \'good health\'

Ethiopian rebels said German tourists they seized last week are safe and healthy, but put responsibility for the deadly attack in which five Europeans were also killed on the government. "Those German nationals who were taken together with the Ethiopian soldiers are safe and (in) good health," the rebel Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) said in a statement at the weekend. The German foreign ministry said two of its nationals are missing after gunmen attacked a group of tourists in Ethiopia's remote Afar region last week, but the rebels did not specify how many people it was holding. At least five people were killed in the fighting: two Germans, two Hungarians and one Austrian. Ethiopia says the rebels attacked the tourist convoy, but the rebels said fighting broke out when Ethiopian troops fired on an ARDUF patrol. "Our forces killed 16 Ethiopian soldiers and wounded a dozen of them in a battle when the Ethiopian forces opened fire," ARDUF added, in a statement dated January 21 and posted on several opposition websites. "We regret the death of those innocent civilians. ARDUF would like to convey its sincere condolence and sympathy to the families and relatives of dead peaceful tourists," the statement read. Ethiopian has made no mention of whether any of its forces were killed in the attack, which took place near the famed Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia's sparsely populated Danakil desert, close to the tense Ethiopia-Eritrea border. The area, which boasts spectacular moon-like landscapes and is famed to be the hottest place on earth, is popular among travellers. The rebels also warned Ethiopia "not to engage in another adventure that can endanger the lives" of the hostages. "We can ensure that their peaceful release will be granted through peaceful negotiation" with Afar elders, ARDUF added. Addis Ababa has said the Germans have been taken to neighbouring Eritrea, which it accuses of sponsoring the attack, claims dismissed by arch-rival Asmara as "ludicrous" and which the rebels also said was a lie. "We assert that the government of Eritrea has nothing to do with incident," the rebels said, adding that claims Eritrea was arming and training the rebels were "baseless and unfounded."