Five Europeans kidnapped in Ethiopia 12 days ago have been released and are in good health, the British foreign minister has said.
On Tuesday, Margaret Beckett told reporters: "All five were released earlier today to the Eritrean authorities and have just arrived in the care of our embassy in Asmara.
"I understand that broadly they are all in good health."
The three British men, one Italian-British woman and a French woman all have links to the British diplomatic community in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
They were seized by armed attackers while travelling in Ethiopia's remote northeast Afar region.
Eight Ethiopians assisting the Europeans were also taken hostage but their fate remained unclear, Beckett said.
Regional officials and Afar locals had said the hostages were marched into neighbouring Eritrea - something Eritrea had earlier denied.
Beckett said there were varying reports as to where the hostages had been held but "certainly they were released with the help of the Eritrean government".
The five Europeans were named as Peter Rudge and Jonathan Ireland, first secretary and administrative support at the British embassy in Addis Ababa, Malcolm Smart and Laure Beaufils working for the Department for International Development in the Ethiopian capital and Rosanna Moore, wife of the head of the British Council there.