Italian and Canadian engineers abducted in Libya

Three foreign workers, including two Italians, have been kidnapped in southwest Libya, officials have said.

Italy’s foreign ministry said in a brief statement that it had learned about the abduction. It declined to provide further details, citing the “delicateness” of the situation.

A statement by the media office of Ghat municipality said foreign engineers working for construction company Conicos were abducted by unidentified assailants on the road linking Tahala and Ghat.

It gave their names as Italians Bruno Cacace and Danilo Calonego and a Canadian identified only as Frank.

The statement quoted the head of Ghat municipal council, Koumani Mohammed Saleh, as saying al-Qaeda was not behind the abduction.

“The abduction of the engineers was carried out by a small outlawed group,” he said.

He said officials are working on securing their release. The incident, the statement said, is “unprecedented” in Ghat.

Global Affairs Canada spokesman Michael O’Shaughnessy said: “We are aware of the troubling yet unconfirmed report of the abduction of a Canadian citizen in Libya. We are diligently pursuing all appropriate channels.”

– (AP)