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British and Australian tourists kidnapped in Ecuador UK and Australian tourists kidnapped in Ecuador freed
(about 3 hours later)
Two women, from the UK and Australia, have been kidnapped in the north-east of Ecuador, near the border with Colombia. Two female tourists kidnapped in the north-eastern Ecuador, near the border with Colombia, have been freed.
The tourists were abducted on Friday by what was thought to be a Colombian group, the Ecuadorean authorities say. The women, one from the UK and one from Australia, were seized on Friday by what Ecuadorean authorities said was a Colombian group.
They were travelling in a canoe while visiting a remote nature reserve in the Amazon jungle, officials add. They had been travelling in a canoe while visiting a remote nature reserve in the Amazon jungle.
The incident follows reports that five other tourists were attacked in the same area on Friday. They were freed by police and armed forces, the country's Interior Minister Jose Serrano said.
There were reports that five other tourists had been attacked in the same area on Friday.
The women, who were not immediately identified, were abducted while visiting the Cuyabeno nature reserve in the Tarapoa region, in Sucumbios province, officials said.The women, who were not immediately identified, were abducted while visiting the Cuyabeno nature reserve in the Tarapoa region, in Sucumbios province, officials said.
They were part of a group of several foreign tourists and two Ecuadorean guides. They were part of a group made up of several foreign tourists and two Ecuadorean guides.
A spokeswoman for the UK Foreign Office said: "We are aware of an incident and are working closely with the Ecuadorean authorities. Next of kin have been informed." It is not clear which armed group carried out the kidnap, but local reports suggested a criminal gang called the Black Eagles, made up of ex-paramilitaries, might have been behind the abduction.
It is not clear which armed group carried out the kidnap, but local reports suggest a criminal gang called the Black Eagles, made up of ex-paramilitaries, might have been behind the abduction.
At this stage, it is hard to know precise details nor whether the women are being held hostage for ransom or for some unknown political reason, says the BBC's Will Grant.
The incident comes as Colombia's main armed guerrilla group, the Farc, is entering a peace process with the Bogota government after nearly five decades of war against the state.The incident comes as Colombia's main armed guerrilla group, the Farc, is entering a peace process with the Bogota government after nearly five decades of war against the state.