CAIRO: A Libyan security source has said that several Egyptians who were recently kidnapped in Libya have been freed by the Tobruk Security Directorate.
According to statements by local Egyptian newspapers, criminal gangs had kidnapped the Egyptian victims after they illegally entered the country.
The source said that 32 Egyptian citizens were captured by a criminal gang that kidnaps and extorts foreigners.
Libyan security forces arrested a number of criminals involved in the kidnappings, the source said, adding that more will likely be arrested following further investigation.
Security forces in Tobruk also arrested seven people who were involved in the killing of three Egyptian citizens, whose bodies were discovered with signs of torture.
The Libyan source confirmed that orders were issued by the Interior Minister of the Eastern Government Ibrahim Boushnaf to apprehend criminals and free kidnapped and detained people in order to establish security and stability in the east of the country.
Families of a group of young men from Beni Suef Egyptian Governorate said that 10 men had been kidnapped within Libya.
One family member said that his son-in-law had traveled to Libya in a microbus, adding that the vehicle was captured and everyone on board detained.
Kidnappers demanded 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($6,356) for each of the young men to be released. The son-in-law was married about a month ago and took off 20 days after.
Families of the victims said the bus driver told them that the kidnappers had contacted him and demanded the families be informed of the ransom demands.
Egyptian authorities intervened in June 2020 to free 23 kidnapped Egyptians who were tortured by the Al-Wefaq militia.
They freed the prisoners and sent them back to Egypt, just hours after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ordered state agencies to find and return them.
