Four engineers kidnapped from Libyan oilfield

TRIPOLI: Four workers were kidnapped on Saturday from an oil field in southern Libya, with two of them later released, Libya's National Oil Corporation said.

The abductions at the Al-Sharara field will hit output in the country, whose fragile economy relies heavily on its oil supplies. "Armed men kidnapped four engineers at dawn this morning -- three Libyans and a Romanian," said Ramadan Saleh, in charge of security in Libya's southern Ubari region. Libya's National Oil Corporation confirmed in a statement that four workers were kidnapped by "unknown armed assailants", but said two have been released.

The company said it was working with "appropriate authorities to resolve the issue", without giving further details of those abducted.

"Oil wells in the surrounding area have been shut down as a precaution, and all other workers evacuated," the NOC said.