US pro-democracy activists who had been on trial in Egypt were in Cyprus yesterday after flying out of Cairo, an airport official said, following the lifting of a travel ban on them.

On Thursday night, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported that 15 foreigners had left for Larnaca, including eight Americans.

MENA said the non-American passengers comprised a Norwegian, three Serbs, two Germans and a Palestinian.

Cairo airport officials had said 17 foreigners, including nine Americans, had left, and it was not immediately clear why there was a discrepancy in the figures.

The Cypriot airport official said the private aircraft was due to leave on Friday, without mentioning the other nationals, and it was unclear whether the Americans would travel on it or take commercial flights.

The activists worked with five foreign NGOs accused of receiving illicit foreign funds and operating without licences.

Their departure is expected to ease tensions with Washington, which had urged Egypt's military rulers to resolve the case, which American officials and legislators had said could imperil US aid to its key Middle Eastern ally.