New Delhi: Seven Indians who are the natives from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, were kidnapped in Libya last month and India is in contact with authorities in the African nation to secure their liberation, the Ministry of External Affairs. The Indians were kidnapped at a place called Asshwerif on September 14 when they were on their way to the Tripoli airport to catch a flight to India, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.
“The government is in touch with their family members and would like to assure them that we are making all possible efforts in consultation and coordination with Libyan authorities and the employer to trace our nationals and secure their release from captivity at the earliest,” he said.
Srivastava said the Indian nationals were working at a construction and oil field supplies company.” The employer has been reached by the kidnappers and shown photographs as evidence that the Indian nationals were safe and keeping well,” he said.
Libya, an oil-rich country in North Africa, has been witnessing large-scale violence and turmoil since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s four-decade regime in 2011. Srivastava said that the Indian embassy in Tunisia has reached out to the Libyan government authorities as also the international organizations present there, seeking their help in rescuing the Indian nationals.
The Indian mission in Tunisia bears matters relating to the welfare of Indian nationals in Libya. In September 2015, an advisory was issued by the government for Indian nationals to avoid traveling to Libya in view of the security situation there. In May 2016, the government imposed a complete travel ban irrespective of the purpose in view of the deteriorating security situation in Libya.” This travel ban is still in force,” said Srivastava.
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