Algeria: Intelligence suggests group of 31 tourists has been split into two
German authorities are said to be stepping up the pressure on Algeria in an effort to find 31 tourists who have been missing in the country for several months.
As reported by News From Abroad, the tourists, from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands, disappeared over the course of a month as they travelled in separate groups through remote south-eastern areas of Algeria.
Authorities in the north African country have mobilised some 5,000 troops to search for the missing tourists and their captors, but according to The Times, Germany is now worried that the troops will panic the supposed captors, who could harm the captives.
German intelligence, the newspaper reports, states that the tourists have been split into two groups. Germany has already flown in detectives and anti-terror experts – and wants to send in a deployment of commandos – but the Algerian authorities are said to be against the move.
