A group of foreign tourists have been kidnapped in Egypt on Monday. The foreigners were taken by bandits while they were on an expedition in the desert between Aswan and Sudan, reported al-Jazeera TV channel.

The report said that Egyptian Tourism Minister confirmed that agroup about 15 foreign tourists were abducted by unidentified individuals. Among them are five Germans and Italians, a Romanian and four Egyptians.

The Egyptian government spokesman Magdy Rady told media that a group of 19 people, including 15 foreign tourists, were kidnapped in southern Egypt and taken across the border to neighboring Sudan.

The spokesman also said the foreign tourists were on a trip in Egypt's remote western desert near the Sudanese-Egyptian borders when they  were kidnapped on Monday.

The four Egyptians are believed to be tour guides and security guards. Egyptian official said that talks are underway on the ransom.

No more details of the kidnapping are available at the moment.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22)