Gunmen abduct mayor of Libyan capital

The mayor of Libya's capital Tripoli has been abducted, the municipal council said in a statement.

1 min read

29 March, 2018

Libya descended into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Gaddafi [Getty]

The mayor of Libya's capital Tripoli has been abducted from his home, Libyan officials said.

"The municipality of central Tripoli and its residents received the news of the abduction of mayor Abdel-Raouf Hassan Baitelmal by a foolish party after they stormed his house by force of arms and took him to an unknown destination," the municipal council said in a statement.

It suspended operations on Thursday in protest against the abduction and called on the UN-backed government in Tripoli to make every effort to secure his release.

The Interior Ministry said a search is underway, without providing further details.

The reason for the abduction was also not immediately clear.

Libya descended into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gaddafi. The country is now split between rival governments in the east and the west, each backed by an array of militias.