By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 2 November 2016:
The mayor of the oasis town of Traghen, 125 kilometres south of Sebha, has been kidnapped.
Mohamed Tahir Bakouri was grabbed by gunmen yesterday at his farm outside the town.
The reasons for the abduction are unknown although ransom is thought to be the motive. As in Tripoli, crime has soared in southern Libyan, with kidnapping now a major problem. So far this year, it is reported that 128 people have been kidnapped in and around Sebha, mainly for ransom.
Condemnation of Bakouri’s abduction has come from the Beida-based local government ministry and Traghen municipal council.
The council called for the security forces to ensure the mayor’s freedom, stressing the need to end the current impunity enjoyed by criminals.
For its part, the ministry, describing the abduction as barbaric and un-Islamic, called on local tribal leaders to work for Bakouri’s release.
