38 Egyptians kidnapped, held in Libya’s Tripoli, source tells Egypt Today

CAIRO – 28 January 2021: Criminal gangs have kidnapped 38 Egyptian nationals in Western Libya and are holding them near the capital, Tripoli, a Libyan source told Egypt Today on Thursday.

The gangs are asking for a ransom to free the kidnapped nationals, the source said, adding that those Egyptians have entered to Libya illegally.

The kidnapped citizens are from Upper Egypt’s Qena, the source added.

According to a recording Egypt Today could obtain, the gangs demand a 15,000 Libyan dinars ransom for each of the kidnapped persons.

This comes only few days after Libyan security forces managed to set free numerous Egyptians who had been kidnapped.

The source in the Tobruk Security Directorate said that the security forces had arrested several criminals involved in kidnapping and extortion of Egyptian citizens.

He explained the prosecution is investigating them to pursue all those involved in kidnapping foreigners, especially Egyptians.

Also, a high-ranking Libyan security source confirmed that forces managed to free 13 Egyptian citizens who were kidnapped by a criminal gang a few days ago, including 10 Egyptians from Beni Suef Governorate.

The Libyan source pointed out that the Libyan Interior Minister Ibrahim Bouchnaf had directed the necessity of liberating the kidnapped and pursuing criminal gangs, stressing that the security forces carried out an intense security campaign after repeated kidnappings of foreigners in recent months. He also clarified that the Egyptian citizens are fine.

Another source indicated that the security forces in Tobruk managed to arrest 7 persons involved in the killing of three Egyptian citizens, after finding their bodies with signs of torture.

The families of young Egyptians had confirmed earlier that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of LE100,000 for each young man in exchange for their release.