The seven Indian nationals who were kidnapped in Libya were released, Puneet Roy Kundal, Indian Ambassador to Tunisia told ANI on Sunday. Since India doesn’t have an embassy in Libya, the Indian mission in Tunisia looks after the work in Libya. 

The seven men, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, were kidnapped on September 14, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had confirmed on Thursday. 

They were kidnapped at a place called Asshwerif when they were on their way to the Tripoli airport to catch a flight to India, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.

They were working at a construction and oil field supplies company.

“The employer has been contacted by the kidnappers and shown photographs as proof that the Indian nationals were safe and keeping well,” Srivastava had said on Thursday.

He had said the Indian embassy in Tunisia had reached out to the Libyan authorities and the international organisations there, seeking help in rescuing the Indian nationals.

In September 2015, an advisory was issued for Indian nationals to avoid travelling to Libya, due to the security situation.

A complete travel ban was imposed in May 2016 and is in place till now.