Former Libyan deputy prime minister kidnapped in Tripoli

TRIPOLI: Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday kidnapped Libya’s former deputy prime minister Mustafa Abu Shagor, a parliamentarian confirmed. 

The gunmen forced Abu Shagor into a car near his house in Tripoli’s al-Andalus region during afternoon and took him to an unknown location, Xinhua quoted lawmaker Essam al- Naasse as saying. 

Shortly before the gunmen arrived, Abu Shagor had received an anonymous call asking him to leave the house. But he refused, Naasse said. It could not be immediately known who was behind the kidnapping. 

In late June, Abu Shagor was elected as the deputy prime minister of Libya’s first transitional government since 2011, when former leader Muammar Ghaddafi was toppled. 

He was also elected as a lawmaker in the new parliament house of representatives.