Cairo - Conflicting reports on the identity of the group that kidnapped 11 European tourists and eight Egyptians in Egypt's Western Desert on Friday continued to circulate Wednesday.

An Egyptian government spokesman said the kidnappers were from Djibouti, the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper reported.

But other Egyptian officials were being quoted as saying one of the kidnappers came from Chad, while his three accomplices came from Sudan.

The Al-Jazeera news channel, meanwhile, quoted unnamed Egyptian officials as having said the group was from Chad. An official at the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said the kidnappers were all Egyptians.

The 19 went missing while visiting the remote scenic Gilf Kebir area close to Egypt's borders with Libya, Chad and Sudan.

Five Germans, five Italians and a Romanian were among them.

The Sudanese foreign ministry on Tuesday said they had located the 19 to the Jebel al-Uwainat region, 25 kilometres from the Egyptian border.

Foreign Minister Ali Youssef said Sudan would not launch any operation which could harm the hostages, and was coordinating with Egyptian authorities.

Various sources have been quoted in media reports as saying German and Italian authorities were negotiating with the kidnappers.

But while the two governments have confirmed they are monitoring the situation, they have declined to confirm further conflicting reports of ongoing negotiations, reportedly involving a ransom demand of between six and 15 million dollars. (dpa)