Tribesman kidnap 18 Egyptian border guards

By Asharf Sweilam

Associated Press

Published: Thursday, Feb. 9 2012 10:36 a.m. MST

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An Egyptian youth walks past graffiti that includes a defaced picture of military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and Arabic that reads, "Mubarak's dog, no for the military rule, freedom," in Cairo, Egypt Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. Egypt is refusing to back down in a dispute with the U.S. over Cairo's crackdown on nonprofit groups despite Washington's threats to cut aid, while the military deployed troops to the nation's streets after a surge in violence and protests against its rule.

Nasser Nasser, Associated Press

Summary

Security officials say tribesmen have kidnapped 18 Egyptian border guards along the border with Israel in retaliation for the killing of one of their members.

EL-ARISH, Egypt — Security officials say tribesmen have kidnapped 18 Egyptian border guards along the border with Israel in retaliation for the killing of one of their members.

The officials said the Bedouin tribesmen snatched the guards Thursday from positions along the border. Some of the guards were in vehicles patrolling the Egypt-Israel border in the Sinai Peninsula.

The officials said the tribesmen were protesting the killing of one of their members, a smuggler, as he tried to sneak into Israel days ago.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters, said there were negotiations for the guards' release.

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