ROME – Italy’s Foreign Ministry says a Canadian citizen and two Italians who were kidnapped in southern Libya in September were freed overnight and brought safely to Italy early Saturday morning.
The ministry says the release of the three men was due to “the efficient collaboration of local Libyan authorities,” but it didn’t provide further details. The men were brought to Italy on a special flight.
READ MORE: Feds confirm Canadian was taken hostage in Libya
They were kidnapped on Sept. 19 by armed and masked men who blocked their vehicle in Ghat, a city in the Sahara desert near the border with Algeria.
The ministry identified the Canadian citizen of Italian origin, as Frank Poccia, and the Italians as Danilo Calonego and Bruno Cacace.
The ANSA news agency reported they are all technicians employed by the Italian construction company, Conicos, which is doing work at an airport in Libya.
The mayor of Ghat told Reuters at the time that the three were abducted between the towns of Ghat and Tahala, near the border with Algeria on Monday morning.
Italian media reports said the men would be speaking with prosecutors before being reunited with their families.
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