Locals free 25 Chinese workers in Egypt

BEIJING - Egyptian locals have freed 25 Chinese workers they held for about 15 hours on Tuesday in Arish, North Sinai, an official with the Chinese embassy to Cairo said on Wednesday.

The workers were in good health, Ma Jianchun, commercial affairs counselor of the embassy, told Xinhua News Agency.

They were freed around 3 am local time on Wednesday and taken to a military hotel in Arish to wait for further arrangements, said Ma, who met the workers shortly after their release.