Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs is investigating claims that six Egyptians were kidnapped in Libya, Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid told Ahram Online on Tuesday.

The families of the six nationals said on Monday that they were kidnapped by “armed terrorist groups” in the war-torn country.

The ministry currently does not have any information on the whereabouts of the citizens, who are all believed to be from Kafr El-Sheikh governorate.

In March, families of 15 Egyptians in Libya said their relatives were kidnapped by the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

The ministry of foreign affairs later learned that the Egyptians were detained by Libyan authorities and were being held at a camp for illegal immigrants in Tripoli.

In February 2015, a graphic video was posted online showing IS militants on a Libyan beach beheading 20 Egyptian Christians and vowing to fight those they described as “crusaders.”

Less than 24 hours after the release of the video, Egypt launched airstrikes on IS hideouts in the Libyan cities of Derna and Sirte in coordination with the Libyan army.

with the Libyan army.

source: Ahram Online