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Five Europeans with links to the British Embassy in Ethiopia and eight locals kidnapped in the remote north of the country nine days ago are "unharmed and safe" in the hands of Afar separatist rebels holding them over the border in Eritrea, an Afar leader said last night.
Ismael Ali Gardo said news of the captives had been picked up by nomadic herders close to where they were being held in the settlement of Weima.
