The families of the detained Egyptians in Libya protested at the Foreign Affairs Ministry headquarters in Downtown Cairo, demanding the government help release their relatives.
Dozens of family members held pictures of their relatives and banners calling for their release in a silent protest.
The Egyptians, initially feared to be abducted, are detained by security forces in Libya’s Misrata, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Hisham El-Nakib met with the families of the detained and explained to them the procedures the ministry is taking to resolve the situation. However, the ministry highlighted the absence of Egyptian diplomatic missions in Libya.
El-Nakib asserted that the Egyptian expats are being investigated for “being in areas where terrorist organisations such as Islamic State are active”.
The ministry reiterated warnings against travelling to Libya due to the turbulent security situation.
In April, 16 Egyptians were killed in a shooting in the city of Beni Walid, south of Tripoli, after a dispute with human traffickers.
