Thaindian News

Cairo, Feb 1 (IANS) As many as 25 Chinese nationals working for a cement factory in Egypt have been taken captive by some local people in Egypt’s Sinai town of Arish, said the Chinese embassy officials in Cairo.

The Chinese nationals — 24 workers and a translator — were riding a bus to their plant, when they were stopped at around 11.40 a.m. Tuesday by some locals on a road and taken to a makeshift tent nearby, Xinhua quoted commercial affairs counsellor of the embassy Ma Jianchun as saying.

A working team dispatched by the Chinese embassy arrived in Arish Tuesday evening.

Ma, who led the team, said the Chinese workers were held in a place some 10 km from Arish.

The workers had just returned from their holidays in China to the project site via Arish.

Ma said the team was coordinating with local police and had contacted the provincial government and the local intelligence department.

Locals have been blocking the road for several days, demanding the release of their five relatives detained by Egyptian authorities because of their suspected involvement in the attacks which occurred in South Sinai between 2004 and 2006 and left dozens dead.

They also want Egyptian authorities to halt natural gas exports to Israel.

Earlier, Zhang Zhizhong, consular affairs director of the embassy, said the Chinese workers were safe and some kept contact with the embassy through mobile phone.

Chinese Ambassador Song Aiguo also talked to officials of the Egyptian interior and defence ministries, urging the Egyptian side to put the Chinese workers’ safety first, properly handle the incident and secure their release at the earliest.