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 MEKELE, Ethiopia (AP) - Eritrea on Sunday dismissed allegations that its forces crossed into neighboring Ethiopia and kidnapped five Britons affiliated with their country's embassy and 13 Ethiopians who were touring a remote border region.
In Ethiopia, government officials and a ministry contradicted each other, with the Foreign Affairs ministry saying Sunday that the government was still investigating the identity of the kidnappers. On Saturday, two government officials had alleged Eritrea is responsible for the disappearance near the countries' long-disputed border.
The tour group went missing Thursday while traveling in Ethiopia's Afar region, a barren expanse of salt mines and volcanoes 500 miles northeast of the capital, Addis Ababa. The Britons are employees of the British Embassy in Addis Ababa or their relatives, and Britain has sent a 10-member crisis team to help secure their release.
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