Gunmen abduct 3 Turkish workers in Libya

By Velid Abdullah

TRIPOLI, Libya

An armed group has abducted four people working for a Turkish company in southwestern Libya, a local official said on Friday.

An official from Ubari municipality, Omar Kuki, told Anadolu Agency the group seized three Turkish nationals and one German citizen who had been working for ENKA, an engineering and construction firm.

The reason behind the abduction remains unclear, he said, adding the Libyan security forces had launched an operation to find the missing workers.

Libya has been dogged by violence since 2011, when a bloody uprising led to the overthrow and death of longstanding President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.

The ensuing power vacuum led to the emergence of several rival seats of government and a plethora of heavily-armed militia groups.

According to a report issued Wednesday by the UN mission in Libya, at least 23 civilians were killed in various clashes throughout the North African country -- including women and children -- in October alone.