LEAD: Five foreign tourists killed in Ethiopia

Jan 18, 2012, 9:25 GMT

Addis Ababa - Five foreign tourists have been killed in an attack in north-east Ethiopia, government spokesman Bereket Simon confirmed to dpa on Wednesday, pinning the blame on neighbouring Eritrea.

The dead comprised one German, one Belgian, one Italian and one Hungarian. The fifth person was likely an Australian citizen. Two other tourists were injured, while a third managed to escape harm.

Simon said the attack was carried out by 'gunmen trained by the Eritrean government,' Ethiopia's arch-rival. The shooting occurred about 25 kilometres from the countries' shared border.

Eritrean diplomats, however, denied any involvement in the attack that occurred late on Tuesday. No group has yet to claim responsibility.

Germany said it was sending a member of the Federal Police Office to Addis Ababa to help with the investigations.

The attack occurred near volcanic sites in the Danakil desert, which extends to the north-east of Ethiopia and is one of the hottest and poorest regions of the world. It is populated by the nomadic Afar people.

In 2007, five Europeans - four Britons and a French citizen - were taken hostage in the area, but were later released unharmed, in exchange for a ransom.

Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993, after years of conflict. The two nations then went to war again from 1998 until 2000, in a conflict that left more than 100,000 people dead.

Relations between the neighbours are strained and the two governments often accuse each other of malicious acts, including supporting local rebel groups who carry out attacks.