Libya militiaman released in Egypt after diplomats freed -sources

A Libyan militia commander was released in Egypt after Egyptian diplomats who had been kidnapped in Tripoli in reaction to his arrest were freed, Egyptian security sources said on Monday.
   
Libyan and Egyptian government officials said there was no deal to free Shaban Hadia, who is also known as Abou Abeida, in exchange for the diplomats.

This comes as Libyan and Egyptian officials say some of the six Egyptian diplomats and embassy staff members kidnapped in the capital Tripoli have been released and the rest are to follow soon.
     
Both officials offered no details on the late Sunday release. Five Egyptian diplomats and an embassy staff member were kidnapped late Friday and early Saturday. It was not clear who abducted them.
     
Libyan Foreign Ministry spokesman Said al-Asswad says two of the diplomats and the embassy staffer have already been freed. Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdelattie confirms that some were released, attributing it to official and "unofficial" mediation. He didn't elaborate.
     
The kidnapping followed the arrest of a senior Libyan militia leader in Egypt. Abdelattie says the two incidents were unrelated, adding that the militia leader was under investigation, without elaborating.



AP