BENGHAZI, Libya
Following an agreement with local authorities, the Libyan Shield Force militia on Thursday announced the release of 300 Egyptian truck drivers who it had been holding hostage near the northwestern city of Ajdabiya, a militia member has said.
"The 300 Egyptian trucks… have been released," militia coordinator Ezzeldine Mohamed Salim told Anadolu Agency.
According to Salim, the militia had held the Egyptian drivers for ransom – along with their trucks – due to the Libyan government's failure to pay them for several months.
"We've come to agreement with local Ajdabiya officials who have promised to meet our demands," Salim said.
Earlier Thursday, Egyptian state television had reported that the freed truck drivers were headed towards the Egypt-Libya Saloum border crossing en route to Cairo.
Last week, Libyan militants released five Egyptian diplomats kidnapped earlier following the arrest by Egyptian authorities of the head of the Libyan Revolutionaries' Operations Room, an armed Libyan group.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
