india

Updated: Jul 31, 2015 15:09 IST

Four Indian nationals have been abducted in Libya. The Indians- two from Hyderabad, one from Raichur and one from Bengaluru- were reportedly kidnapped from Sirte town near Tripoli.

Four of them had been working in University of Sirte. No ransom has been demanded yet, officials said.

"We came to know at 11 pm that four Indian nationals who were returning to India via Tripoli were detained at a checkpoint approximately 50 km from Sirte," said foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

"MEA through head of mission in Tripoli is ascertaining details," Swarup added.

The kidnapping comes even as the fate of 39 Indians kidnapped in June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq remains unknown. The 39 were kidnapped by the Islamic State militants. The government maintains the men, all labourers from mostly Punjab, are still alive.

The Indian government had last year issued an advisory asking its citizens to leave Libya.



(With inputs from agencies)