Foreign tourists kidnapped in Egypt

Cairo: A group of 15 foreign tourists, including Germans, Italians and Romanians, were kidnapped in Aswan in southern Egypt on Monday, Egyptian officials said.

"This is a gang act [by] masked men," Tourism Minister Zoheir Garrana said, identifying the hostages as five Italians, five Germans, one Romanian and four Egyptians.

Talks are underway over ransom demands.

Egyptian security sources said the tourists were last seen on Sunday evening in Aswan. They said they had been due to take part in a desert car and motorcycle rally.

They said it was possible the group had been taken to Sudan.