(AFP File Photo)
Western Desert border guards arrested 83 Egyptians attempting to illegally cross into Libya through the Salloum border port, state media reported.
The arrested come from different governorates across Egypt, with the majority coming from Minya, Assiut and Fayoum.
Several cases of Egyptians and foreigners arrested while trying to cross the Libyan borders have been reported, though Egyptians have been a target by Libyan militants.
A 31-year-old Egyptian TV director, Mohamed Galal, was found dead on 28 April, after he was kidnapped by Islamist militants in August 2014.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry has been reiterating warnings to citizens against travelling to Libyan territories for security concerns, especially after the abduction and beheading of 20 Coptic Egyptians last February by “Islamic State” affiliates.
In response to the attack, Egypt launched airstrikes on the city of Derna, known to be an Islamist stronghold.
Since then, Egypt has been calling on its nationals to return to the country from Libya.
However, in April, a similar incident by the same group targeted nearly 30 Ethiopian Christians. Some were beheaded and the rest were shot.
Since the toppling of former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the situation in Libya has deteriorated. There has also been an increase in Islamist militias in several areas, including Sirte and the Libyan capital Tripoli, which is currently under the control of Islamists.
