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Libya: Indian university teachers 'kidnapped' | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Four Indian teachers have been kidnapped in Libya, India's foreign ministry has reported, adding later it had secured the release of two of them. | |
The four were abducted at a checkpoint near the city of Sirte, where they were teaching at a university. | The four were abducted at a checkpoint near the city of Sirte, where they were teaching at a university. |
The Islamic State (IS) group has a strong presence in Sirte, hometown of former leader Muammar Gaddafi. | The Islamic State (IS) group has a strong presence in Sirte, hometown of former leader Muammar Gaddafi. |
Libya has descended into chaos since Gaddafi's death in October 2011, with various militias fighting for power. | |
The teachers, from the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, were working with the University of Sirte. | |
They were kidnapped on their way back to India on Wednesday. | They were kidnapped on their way back to India on Wednesday. |
"They were returning to India via Tripoli and Tunis, when they were detained at a checkpoint approximately 50km (31 miles) from Sirte," an Indian foreign ministry spokesperson said. | "They were returning to India via Tripoli and Tunis, when they were detained at a checkpoint approximately 50km (31 miles) from Sirte," an Indian foreign ministry spokesperson said. |
It is still not clear who kidnapped the teachers, but the spokesperson said the Indians "have been brought back to the city of Sirte". | It is still not clear who kidnapped the teachers, but the spokesperson said the Indians "have been brought back to the city of Sirte". |
On Friday afternoon, a tweet by India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the government was "able to secure the release" of two of them - named as Lakshmikant and Vijay Kumar. | |
"Trying for other two," the tweet said. | |
Most of Sirte fell to IS in May. Last July, a group of 65 Indian nurses were trapped in fighting in Libya. | |
The nurses, who had been working in hospitals in the country, safely returned to India in August. | |
In June 2014, 40 Indians - all construction workers - were kidnapped in the violence-hit Iraqi city of Mosul. Their fate is still not known. | In June 2014, 40 Indians - all construction workers - were kidnapped in the violence-hit Iraqi city of Mosul. Their fate is still not known. |