BAYDA, Libya, October 20 (RIA Novosti) - The Libyan Foreign Ministry played a significant role in securing the release of two Russian hostages captured by Libyan rebels three years ago, Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani said Monday in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"The thing is that communication mostly involved militant groups, and the Libyan Foreign Ministry played a part in it. After the February 17 revolution, we have been dealing with all sorts of movements that question every order coming from the government. The government does what it thinks is right, and ignores other opinions," al-Thani said.
In 2011, rebels in western Libya captured two Russians, three Belarusians and 19 Ukrainians on suspicion of aiding the Army that was still loyal to President Muammar Gaddafi. Insurgents accused Alexander Shadrov and Vladimir Dolgov of repairing military vehicles that were used by the Gaddafi government to crack down on the opposition.
All hostages were freed in early October after years of talks. The UN secretary-general"s special representative in Libya said on October 8 he was going to investigate why the release had allegedly been negotiated without the Libyan government"s knowledge.
Al-Thani told RIA Novosti that his administration knew of the talks with the kidnappers, and that the release of the 24 men was coordinated by Tripoli.
Libya is currently facing its worst wave of violence since the 2011 overthrow of Gaddafi and the subsequent civil war. The ensuing power vacuum has allowed numerous militias in the country to run rampant.
According to Libya Body Count data, the violence in the country has claimed the lives of over 1,800 people in 2014 alone.
Unsettled disputes in Libya"s new government has created a diarchy in which powers are shared by the elected parliament and the Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani on one side, and by the pro-Islamic General National Congress and its self-proclaimed Prime Minister Omar al-Hasi on the other. However some parts of the country are not controlled by any of the central powers.
