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Thirteen Bangladeshi migrants who had been kidnapped in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, have been rescued by the East Tripoli branch of Libya’s Anti-Illegal Migration Agency. A Syrian national has been arrested in connection with the incident on allegations of abducting the migrants and attempting to extort ransom from their families.
The information was reported by the Libya Observer, citing a statement published by the agency on its official Facebook page.
According to the statement, the Investigation and Arrest Unit at the East Tripoli migrant detention center received intelligence that a criminal gang was targeting newly arrived migrants in Libya, abducting them, and demanding ransom from their relatives.
Following the tip-off, investigators immediately launched a preliminary inquiry. Through intelligence gathering and surveillance, authorities identified both the location where the Bangladeshi migrants were being held and the identity of the main suspect.
After obtaining authorization from the Public Prosecution, law enforcement officers conducted a raid, rescuing all 13 Bangladeshi victims and arresting the Syrian suspect at the scene.
The agency said that during initial questioning, the suspect confessed to the crime after being confronted with evidence. His statement was formally recorded, and after completing the required legal procedures, he was referred to the Public Prosecution.
The Public Prosecution has ordered that the suspect remain in pretrial detention pending the completion of the investigation. Authorities said efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the kidnapping network.