Cairo, Feb 17 (AP) Egypt's foreign ministry said Friday that six Christian Egyptians who were kidnapped and then illegally detained earlier this month in western Libya have been released. In western Libya, militia groups have amassed great wealth and power from kidnappings and their involvement in the country's lucrative human trafficking trade. In a statement issued earlier Friday, the Egyptian foreign ministry called on the Libyan authorities to help release the six Christian Egyptians. Migrants have reported being tortured, forcefully detained, and held for ransom by militia groups running similar facilities in western Libya. In a tweet posted Thursday, lawmaker Mostafa Bakry suggested Egypt's foreign ministry should be doing more to secure the release of the men.

Source: Libya Today February 18, 2023 01:37 UTC