Libya Briefly Holds 4 US Military Personnel

Local Editor

Four US military personnel have been freed after a brief detention by the Libyan government, the US State Department said Saturday.

State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki, who hours earlier announced that the Americans had been detained, did not say why they were held.

"All four US military personnel being held in Libyan government custody have been released," Psaki said in a brief statement just after midnight Friday.

"We are still trying to ascertain the facts of the incident."

According to Psaki, the four "were operating in an area near Sabratha as part of security preparedness efforts when they were taken into custody."
Sabratha, known for its Roman ruins, is located some 65 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli.
"We value our relationship with the new Libya," said Psaki. "We have a strategic partnership based on shared interests and our strong support for Libya's historic democratic transition."

The military staff were attached to the security team at the US embassy in Tripoli and may have been scouting escape routes for possible future use by diplomats, the New York Times reported, citing unnamed US officials.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team