Kidnapped aid worker's family wait for news

The family of an Irish Red Cross worker kidnapped in Ethiopia were last night waiting for news of him after he talked to colleagues by telephone in the east African country yesterday assuring them he was safe and well.

Dónal Ó Súilleabháin (41), from Sligo, was kidnapped at gunpoint with an unnamed Ethiopian colleague from the International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday morning.

His parents, Ailish and Brian, spent yesterday at home in Co Sligo waiting for developments.

"There's been no change since this morning. We're just waiting now," Mrs Ó Súilleabháin said.

It emerged yesterday morning that Mr Ó Súilleabháin had telephoned his colleagues in Ethiopia. But while they were satisfied the Irishman and the Ethiopian had been treated well there was no further direct contact yesterday.

Irish Red Cross chairman and former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews said the international committee was maintaining contact with representatives of the captors. He told The Irish Times it was still unclear what they wanted in return for Mr Ó Súilleabháin's safe release.

"We have no experience of anything like this and obviously the region between Ethiopia and Somalia is risky and volatile. It is hugely worrying for us and for his family. The message from him was that he was unharmed . . . and was the best one could be in a situation like this. The call was at least an indication that he was safe and it was positive that he was allowed to make such a call."

The Irish Red Cross said that as a charity it could not pay a ransom. Mr Andrews added it was unclear where Mr Ó Súilleabháin was being held. The Irish Red Cross had sent an official to the body's international headquarters in Geneva with a view to him travelling on to Ethiopia once the situation had been further assessed.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has sent a hostage negotiator to Ethiopia. Given the sensitivity of the situation the Irish Red Cross has declined to reveal the identity of the group behind the kidnapping.

The separatist Ogaden National Liberation Front and a Somali-based Islamist group, Al-Ittihad, are two rebel armed groups believed to be operating in the region.

Mr Ó Súilleabháin and his Ethiopian colleague were captured by an armed gang just north of Gode, in the remote south-eastern Ogaden area.

Mr Ó Súilleabháin is based in Gode where he has been working as a water and sanitation engineer.