Unidentified gunmen on Thursday kidnapped three Egyptian policemen and four soldiers in the Sinai peninsula, security officials said.
The servicemen were traveling to Cairo when the minibuses they were in were stopped at gunpoint in al-Wadi al-Akhdar region which lies east of el-Areesh in north Sinai, they said.
The three captured policemen are from the Central Security Forces, the branch of the interior ministry used to quell protest. The four other men belong to the armed forces. The two groups were traveling in separate minibuses, officials said.
"The kidnappers have not issued any demands yet," a security official said.
Local Bedouin leaders have been called in to mediate between authorities and the kidnappers. According to Bedouin sources, it is believed the kidnappers want the release of certain prisoners.
The Sinai kidnappers are usually Bedouin who want to trade the hostages for jailed fellow tribesmen.
Bedouin have recently kidnapped tourists from Hungary, Israeli and Norway in the south of the peninsula, which is dotted with beach resorts, to press for the release of jailed relatives.
The servicemen were traveling to Cairo when the minibuses they were in were stopped at gunpoint in al-Wadi al-Akhdar region which lies east of el-Areesh in north Sinai, they said.
The three captured policemen are from the Central Security Forces, the branch of the interior ministry used to quell protest. The four other men belong to the armed forces. The two groups were traveling in separate minibuses, officials said.
"The kidnappers have not issued any demands yet," a security official said.
Local Bedouin leaders have been called in to mediate between authorities and the kidnappers. According to Bedouin sources, it is believed the kidnappers want the release of certain prisoners.
The Sinai kidnappers are usually Bedouin who want to trade the hostages for jailed fellow tribesmen.
Bedouin have recently kidnapped tourists from Hungary, Israeli and Norway in the south of the peninsula, which is dotted with beach resorts, to press for the release of jailed relatives.
