Gunmen kill tourists in barren ‘land of death’

Five European tourists were killed and two tourists and two Ethiopians were kidnapped in an attack by gunmen in Ethiopia’s Afar region, the Ethiopian government said yesterday.

Spokesman Bereket Simon said two Germans, two Hungarians and an Austrian died in the dawn attack in an arid area prone to banditry where separatist rebels have operated.

Yesterday afternoon, 11 tired-looking survivors, still dressed in trekking clothes, flew into the capital, Addis Ababa.

Afar is a barren corner in the African country and one of the Earth’s harshest terrains. The highest average annual temperature recorded was in the Danakil Depression at 94F (34.4C).

Ethiopia blamed its neighbour and arch-foe, Eritrea, saying it had trained and armed the gunmen. It also blamed an Afar rebel movement for kidnapping five westerners in 2007.

Eritrea’s envoy to the African Union, Girma Asmerom, replied: “This is pathetic, an absolute lie.”

The Afar province’s rock-strewn hills give way to vast deserts below sea level, and dry riverbeds and acacia thorn-trees dot the landscape. The region was once described by the late British explorer Wilfred Thesiger as a “veritable land of death”.

Foreigners in the area usually include researchers, aid workers and 500 adventure tourists each year visiting wonders such as the Danakil Depression, with ancient salt mines and volcanoes.

The victims were part of a 27-member party that also included US, Australian and Belgian nationals.

Ethiopia said the four hostages might have been taken across the frontier into Eritrea.

“The Eritrean government tries to use the prisoners as a bargaining chip,” Ethiopia’s foreign ministry said.