US warns against Sinai

2004-10-08 16:32

Washington - The United States on Friday warned its citizens to avoid the eastern coast of Egypt's Sinai peninsula, especially the resort areas of Taba and Nuweiba, following deadly car bomb attacks there that killed at least 28 people, many of the Israelis.

"While there is no indication that US citizens were the targets of the attacks, US citizens should not travel in the central and northern areas of the east coast of Sinai, particularly in the vicinity of the towns of Taba and Nuweiba," the state department said.

A department spokesperson, Susan Pittman, said Washington was unaware of any American casualties in the bombings, which hit the Hilton Hotel in Taba, just across the Israeli border, and a restaurant in the backpacker resort of Ras Sultan, near Nuweiba further south.

However, a state department official who asked not to be named said some Israelis killed and wounded in the attack may have had dual US-Israeli nationality and added that the US embassy in Cairo understood that there were Americans who had been vacationing on the Sinai in the vicinity of Taba when the attacks occurred late on Thursday.

"We understand there may be some people still unaccounted for," the official said.

Diplomats from the US embassy in Cairo travelled to Taba after the blasts and are in contact with search and rescue personnel on the ground, the official said.

In addition to warning US citizens against visiting the eastern Sinai, the state department also advised Americans in Egypt that tightened security throughout the country in the wake of the attacks might slow their travel.

"Travellers on roadways outside of Cairo may experience delays due to additional Egyptian security presence," it said.

Pittman said diplomats from the US embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv had been in touch with Egyptian and Israeli officials "at the highest levels" and that they had offered assistance to the Egyptian government "should it be needed."

- AFP