The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that seven Egyptian nationals have been abducted in Libya’s northwestern city of Misrata. In this context, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry has reiterated its earlier warnings to Egyptian citizens not to travel to Libya, “In the light of the unstable security situation there and lack of Egyptian diplomatic representation.”
The ministry issued a statement that the Egyptian authorities were, “closely following the case of seven citizens who have been recently abducted at the entrance of Misurata’s Al-Karareem district.” All of the abducted citizens came from Egypt’s southern Minya province.The Egyptian ministry has contacted various Libyan authorities with a view to securing the abducted Egyptians’ release. Nothing has been released on the identity of those who are believed have abducted the Egyptians.
The brother of one of the abducted Egyptians in Misrata said that his brother was among several citizens abducted in Libya 38 years ago on their way back to Cairo.
In the same context, the governor of Minya Province tried to calm the families of the abducted Egyptians that the authorities were doing their best to secure their release.
In 2014, Egyptian authorities have warned Egyptian citizens from traveling to neighboring Libya due to the dangerous security conditions in the country. Since the downfall of the al-Gaddaffi regime in 2011, Libya has been trapped in violence and political instability as well as the rise of ISIS militants in different areas.
