Israeli, Norwegian Tourists Kidnapped in Egyptian Sinai
The kidnapping of an Israeli man and Norwegian woman in Egypt's Sinai peninsula occurs as the Egyptian government has undertaken a "highly secretive operation" to secure the region, writes Mohamed Fadel Fahmy from Cairo.
CAIRO — Masked Bedouin gunmen in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula kidnapped two tourists, an Israeli man and a Norwegian woman, while they were traveling between Taba, near the Israeli border, and Dahab, a sea resort further south, late Thursday night [March 21], an Egyptian security official said.
"The driver was freed and rushed to Dahab police station and reported the kidnapping," said Gen. Ahmed Fawzy of the South Sinai police directorate.
"Bedouin gunmen driving a pickup truck intercepted their car and kidnapped them at gunpoint. Passports of the hostages and a mobile phone were left behind," Fawzy said.
National security and police are in contact with the kidnappers to attempt to secure the release of the hostages, Fawzy said.
