Two Out of Four Indians Feared Abducted by IS in Libya, Released

The MEA has confirmed that two out of the four Indians who were abducted in Libya have been freed

An Islamic State supporter waves the extremist outfit’s flag. (Photo: Reuters)

The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that two out of the four Indians who were abducted in Libya, have been brought back to safety.

Four Indians were abducted from a checkpoint near Tripoli, Libya, the Ministry of External Affairs said. It later confirmed that the Indians were in Sirte, which is an Islamic State stronghold.

Two days ago, on July 29 at around 11 PM our mission came to know that four Indian nationals, who were returning to India via Tripoli and Tunis, were detained at a check point, approximately 50 kilometers from Sirte. The Ministry of External Affairs, through its head of mission in Tripoli, is ascertaining the details regarding the incident. According to information available through our sources, all the four Indian nationals have been brought back to Sirte.
— Vikas Swarup, MEA Spokesperson

The abducted Indian nationals are teachers at the University of Sirte. Two of them are from Hyderabad, one from Raichur, and one from Bangalore.

According to K Rama Mohana Rao, Andhra Pradesh Special Representative in Delhi, Balaram is from Srikakulam and Gopi Krishna is from Hyderabad.

The pressure on MEA continues to mount as the families have now turned to the MEA for help. The MEA is still trying to track down the whereabouts of 40 Indians who were abducted last year in the war-ravaged Mosul in Iraq, which is under the control of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) forces.

This abduction comes just two days after a recruitment document was retrieved from Pakistan, revealing the ISIS’s ambition to ignite a war in India. The document also spells out plans to build a new terror army in Pakistan and Afghanistan in order to provoke an Armageddon-like ‘end of the world’ situation.

The Islamic State is suspected to be involved in the abduction, but there has been no official confirmation.

The Indian government is ascertaining details whether it’s an act perpetrated by ISIS, or some local Libyan militia.

K Rama Mohana Rao, wrote to the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for help.

I request your good self to instruct the officials of the Indian Embassy at Tripoli, Libya and to interact with the Government authorities at Libya to assist and extend full cooperation for the safe return of the Indian hostages including those from Andhra Pradesh.
— K Rama Mohana Rao, Special Representative, Andhra Pradesh Government

Rao also spoke to Rashid Khan, Charge d’affaires at the Indian Embassy at Libya and learnt about the situation on the ground, a statement from his office said.

(With inputs from PTI)