4 Indians, 2 each from Hyderabad and Karnataka, kidnapped in Libya: MEA

NEW DELHI: Four Indians have been kidnapped by militants in Libya, the ministry of external affairs spokesman, Vikas Swarup, said on Friday.

Of the four Indians kidnapped in Libya, three are teachers in University of Sirte and one works at the university.

Two of the kidnapped Indians are from Hyderabad and two are from Karnataka, Vikas Swarup said.

The MEA is in regular touch with families of abducted Indians, Vikas Swarup added.Swarup said that the MEA through head of mission in Tripoli is trying to find more information about the kidnapped Indians.

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has met PM Narendra Modi and apprised him about the kidnapping of Indians in Libya.

ISIS militants are suspected to be behind kidnapping of Indians.

The kidnapping comes even as the fate of 39 Indians kidnapped in June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq remains unknown. The 39 were kidnapped by the Islamic State militants. The government maintains the men, all labourers from mostly Punjab, are still alive.

The Indian government had last year issued an advisory asking its citizens to leave Libya.