http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/06/09/isis-captures-86-eritrean-christians-in-libya-us-official-confirms/
ISIS captures 88 Eritrean Christians in Libya, US official confirms
Published June 09, 2015
FoxNews.com
The ISIS terror group kidnapped 88 Eritrean Christians from a
people-smugglers' caravan in Libya last week, a U.S. defense official
confirmed Monday.
The defense official confirmed initial reports of the mass kidnapping
to Fox News after seeing a recent intelligence report. The independent
Libya Herald newspaper reported that the convoy was ambushed by
militants south of Tripoli before dawn this past Wednesday morning.
Meron Estafanos, the co-founder of the Stockholm-based International
Commission on Eritrean Refugees, told the paper that the group of
migrants included "about 12 Eritrean Muslims and some Egyptians. They
put them in another truck and they put 12 Eritrean women Christians in
a smaller pick-up".
Estafanos said that the militants had initially stopped the truck and
demanded that the Muslims on board make themselves known. Everyone who
responded was asked about the Koran and their religious observance in
an attempt to catch Christians pretending to be Muslims.
The main body of the group was put back on the original truck. As the
militants drove the vehicle away, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported
that at least nine men attempted to escape by diving off the back of
the truck. Estefanos said three of those who had escaped were safe,
but still trying to get out of Libya. The fate of the others was not
known.
Libya has become a jumping-off point for thousands of migrants from
the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa who attempt the dangerous
Mediterranean crossing to southern Europe. However, Libya's ongoing
instability has led to an increased presence by ISIS and other terror
groups, increasing the risk for Christians and other non-Muslims
attempting the crossing.
In February, Libyan militants proclaiming loyalty to ISIS released a
video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians at the
edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Two months later, another video showed
the militants shooting and beheading an indeterminate number of
Ethiopian Christians. Estefanos told the Libya Herald that the video
released in April had been edited and that 64 people had been
massacred, including several Eritreans.
"Ever since the kidnapping by ISIS in Libya last February," she said,
"many are taking different routes. Some go from Khartoum [Sudan] to
Turkey, then Greece. Others are now leaving via Khartoum to Cairo,
then Alexandria and from there by boat to Italy. I think we will see
an increase towards Turkey and Cairo instead of Libya".
ISIS on Tuesday also claimed that it seized a power plant near the
Libyan city of Sirte, which supplies central and western parts of the
country with electricity, Reuters reports.
"The plant ... was taken," ISIS said in a message on social media,
while forces loyal to the self-declared government that controls
Libya's capital, Tripoli, fled the area, a military source told
Reuters. The source said three soldiers were killed in the attack.
Libya is divided between rival governments and hundreds of militias in
the aftermath of its 2011 civil war that ousted dictator Muammar
Qaddafi.
The violence has impacted the country's oil revenues heavily. U.N.
envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon has warned that the country only has
enough money to pay salaries for another six weeks, urging warring
parties to agree on a unity government. Negotiators are currently
meeting in Morocco to discuss a power-sharing agreement.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Received on Tue Jun 09 2015 - 12:09:55 EDT