Six Egyptian Copts reported kidnapped in Libya

Six Egyptian Coptic Christians have been kidnapped and are being held for ransom in neighbouring Libya, an MP and media outlets said on Thursday.

"Criminal gangs in Libya have kidnapped six Egyptian Copts about a week ago and have demanded a large ransom to release them," tweeted lawmaker Mostafa Bakry, known to have close ties with the Egyptian authorities.

He said those kidnapped are "simple workers who travelled to look for work opportunities in construction and were kidnapped" while travelling by road near Sabratha in western Libya.

Media sources close to the Coptic Orthodox Church said the men had been kidnapped while travelling between Benghazi and Tripoli.

They added that the kidnappers had demanded a random of $30,000 for each of the six men.

Libya is home to a sizeable community of Egyptians, many of whom travel to the oil-rich country seeking work.

This is not the first time Egyptian Copts have been targeted in Libya. 

The infamous beheading of Coptic Christians in 2015 drew international outrage after the Islamic State posted a video in of 20 Egyptian men wearing orange jumpsuits being beheaded on a beach.