Ethiopia's Danakil region beckons, but also harbours dangers

By Carola Frentzen Jan 18, 2012, 16:00 GMT

Addis Ababa - A visit to a volcanic region in the Ethiopian province of Afar, close to the Eritrean border, was meant to be an adventure to one of the planet's most remote areas. It ended in tragedy as five European tourists were killed in a gun attack.

Conflict is common in the area, where both Eritrean and Ethiopian separatist rebels operate. There have been regular warnings against tourists travelling there.

Gunmen opened fire on the tourist group under cover of darkness in the inhospitable Danakil Desert on Monday, killing two Germans, two Hungarians and an Austrian tourist.

Two other Germans and an Ethiopian policeman and driver were then abducted, according to government spokesman Bereket Simon. The German Foreign Ministry has so far refused to comment on the report.

There has been a long history of conflict between the neighbouring East African countries, dating back to 1962, when Eritrea was annexed by Ethiopia. Eritrea subsequently gained independence in 1993, leaving Ethiopia landlocked.

Both countries have since been involved in ongoing border disputes, culminating in a border war from 1998 to 2000, which claimed an estimated 100,000 lives.

Ever since, both governments have used every opportunity to accuse the other side of fomenting unrest. In January 2011, for example, the government in Addis Ababa accused Eritrea of being behind a plot to attack an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital, which was only narrowly avoided.

Government spokesman Simon described the latest attack as a targeted action because another large African Union summit is due to take place in the upcoming week in Addis Ababa.

'Eritrea wants to destabilize the entire region,' he said.

Simon further accused the Eritrean government of arming and training the gunmen who carried out the attack, adding that a further objective was to inflict damage on Ethiopia's tourist industry, which has enjoyed growth in recent years.

However, the question remains as to why tourists continue to visit the border region despite the warnings of potential danger. There have been numerous attacks and kidnappings in the area in recent years, although most ended without injury.

The Danakil Desert in the Afar region is one of the harshest and hottest environments on the planet and lies far from Ethiopia's normal tourist routes. It is also difficult to reach. The area's roads are mostly impassable during the rainy season.

Despite all the inherent risks and difficulties in reaching the area, the Danakil Desert has its attractions.

'The so-called Afar Triangle is beautiful, which is why I travelled there,' explained a Belgian photographer who has lived in Ethiopia for the past seven years.

'Why does the Ethiopian government issue the necessary travel permits to there if it is so dangerous?' he added.

Canadian Xavier Furtado works in Addis Ababa and had planned to tour the area later this year.

'I'm naturally not going to do that now, but I would like to visit the Danakil some time in the future,' he said.

'I have seen lots of photographs. The region is spectacular and some friends of mine have been there and didn't experience any problems.'

The Danakil Depression lies 110 metres below sea level and is one of the lowest places on earth. It is home to numerous natural wonders, including salt lakes and the Erta Ale volcano, which features one of the world's permanent lava lakes. The attack on the European tourists is thought to have occurred in this area.