A criminal gang in Libya has kidnapped six Egyptian Christians and asked for ransom for their release. According to the Associated Press, the abducted men travelled to Libya hoping to find employment. The motives of the kidnappers and the main reason they kidnapped the men remain unclear.
The recent kidnapping of six Coptic Egyptians in Libya has highlighted the precarious situation facing foreign workers in the region. Mostafa Bakry said that the men had been seeking work in construction when they were abducted by criminal gangs who demanded a ransom of $30,000 for each of them.
Egyptian Foreign Ministry Helped With the Efforts to Release Abducted Men
The Egyptian foreign ministry involved itself in efforts to secure the release of the hostages, meeting with their families multiple times. However, the incident is a stark reminder of the risks of seeking employment in unstable or conflict-ridden areas and the urgent need for more excellent protection and support for migrant workers.
Also, this recent abduction of these men raised concern over the safety of the Christians currently residing in the area, especially a history of an event wherein Islamic State fighters killed 21 Egyptian Christians.
According to CSW, the anniversary of the killings, which falls on 15 February, has become a day of remembrance for the Coptic Orthodox Church, designated as Contemporary Martyrs Day. The Egyptian government, too, has memorialized the victims as 'national martyrs' and responded to the killings with air strikes against IS in Libya.
The question remains why many Coptic Christians still choose to go to Libya to find work despite the known risks and persecution they face. The country has also been in chaos since the ousting of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, with rival administrations and militias battling for control of the oil-rich nation.
The article by UCA News says that the situation has only become more complex and dangerous, with military leader Khalifa Haftar challenging the UN-recognized government of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah since March of last year. This has led to a divide between countries like Egypt, which supports Haftar, and Turkey, which supports Dbeibah.
In 2015, a video was broadcast showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Copts by the Islamic State group in Libya, which led to tens of thousands of Egyptians fleeing the country. Despite this, many still take the risk of working in sectors such as construction and agriculture.
Also Read: Texas Girl Abducted During NBA Games For Oklahoma Trafficking Safely Home, Files Lawsuit
Families of the Victims Struggled to Pay the Ransom and Asked for Support from the Government
In recent news from Christian Post, Hani Sadrak, who lost his brother and three cousins in the recent kidnapping, has stated that the victims' families cannot afford the high ransoms demanded by the abductors without selling their homes. He has appealed to the Egyptian government and President to intervene and help the families.
The situation for the captives was reported as highly dire, with CSW (Christian Solidarity Worldwide) stating that the men were held in a small room with other prisoners of different nationalities, where they were beaten daily and given little food.
Related Article: In Nigeria: Abductors Release 4 Kidnapped Catholic Nuns 'Without Conditions'
