Egyptian locals have freed the 25 Chinese workers they held on Tuesday in Arish, North Sinai, officials with the Chinese embassy to Cairo said Wednesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, the workers returned to the cement plant they work, some 70 km from Arish, with the escort of local military vehicles and Chinese embassy officials, Chinese embassador to Egypt Song Aiguo told Xinhua.

Sayyed Mabrouk, governor of North Sinai, met with the workers in a hotel on Wednesday morning. He vowed to strengthen the protection of Chinese workers. Ma Jianchun, commercial affairs counsellor and head of the embassy team, expressed thanks to the governor for the efforts of Egyptian side to free the Chinese workers.

(Source: Xinhua)