Libya: 13 Egyptian Christians Abducted

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/world/middleeast/libya-13-egyptian-christians-abducted.html

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Masked gunmen in central Libya kidnapped 13 Coptic Christians on Saturday after seven were abducted days earlier, said a witness and a priest, in a new wave of assaults against Egypt’s Christians who are working in war-torn Libya. A group of 15 gunmen entered a residence in Surt and separated Muslim workers from Christians and then handcuffed the Christians and drove away with them, said a witness, Hanna Aziz. Abu Makar, a Coptic priest in the workers’ hometown, Samalout, in southern Egypt, confirmed that they had been abducted. He said seven other Coptic Christians from Samalout were taken while trying to flee Surt a few days ago. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said that it was following the case and urged Egyptians in the city to stay indoors until the government could bring about a safe return home. Egypt closed its mission in Tripoli, the capital, last year.