Libya frees 20 Egyptians held in misrata, including 18 fishermen

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the success of its contacts with officials of the Transitional National Council in Libya to secure the release of eighteen Egyptian fishermen who were detained in the city of Misrata after entering the territorial waters of Libya''s recent illegally. The eight fishermen were handed over today to the Egyptian embassy which is currently finalizing procedures of their departure by air from Misurata to Benghazi, where the Egyptian Consulate will return them by road to Cairo. Spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Amr Rushdi said Egypt''s Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr has been keen to raise the matter with the Libyan side during his visit to Tripoli in mid-September. He was the first Arab official to visit the Libyan capital after the success of the Libyan revolution, opening the way for intensive contacts which the Egyptian embassy continued with the Libyan side to secure their release. He added that the Egyptian embassy in Tripoli has also managed to secure the release of two Egyptian citizens detained in the prison of Misrata.