7 Indians kidnapped in Libya released: Envoy To Tunisia

ANI photo

TUNIS: The seven Indian nationals, who were kidnapped in Libya, have been released, the Indian ambassador to Tunisia said on Sunday.

The seven men hailing from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, were kidnapped from Asshwerif in Libya on September 14.

Indian envoy to Tunisia, Puneet Roy Kundal, confirmed the news of their release to ANI.

India does not have an embassy in Libya and the Indian mission in Tunisia looks after the welfare of Indians in Libya.

On Thursday, India had confirmed that seven of its nationals were kidnapped in Libya last month and that it was working to free them.The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson had said that the kidnapped workers are safe and the Indian mission in Tunisia is in touch with the Libyan government for efforts to free them.

"Our Embassy in Tunisia, which handles matters relating to the welfare of Indian nationals in Libya, has reached out to the Libyan government authorities concerned, as also the international organisations present there, to seek their help in rescuing the Indian nationals. The employer has been contacted by the kidnappers and shown photographs as proof that the Indian nationals were safe and keeping well," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in his weekly press conference.

In September 2015, an advisory had been issued for Indian nationals to avoid travelling to Libya in view of the security situation there.

Later, in May 2016, the Government imposed a complete travel ban irrespective of the purpose in view of the much-deteriorated security situation. This travel ban is still in force.