Hamad al-Akeir, spokesperson of the al-Zawya tribe which kidnapped Egyptian drivers on Sunday, said they had decided to release all the Egyptian detainees.
Akeir told Al-Masry Al-Youm that what happened was “a message from Libyans to Egyptians as they hold 16 Libyans who were given sentences without committing crimes. We demand their release.”
“We did not kidnap the Egyptian drivers. We wanted to bring attention to our demands following a sit-in that lasted for more than one week at Ajdabiya to demand the release of the Libyans being held in Egyptian prisons,” he added.
Several Libyan tribesmen and others from Marsa Matrouh agreed on the release of the Egyptians being held in Ajdabiya within hours. Akeir said that this would “prove to Egyptians that we did not abduct them. It was a message to release Libyans held in Cairo.”
Beshir Boudfira, head of the joint security chamber (composed of police and military elements) in Ajdabiya, said the issue of the Egyptian drivers will be resolved by Sunday or Monday in coordination with security services and tribesmen.
"[Libyan] Citizens call on Egyptian authorities to release their relatives imprisoned in Egypt on charges of smuggling, infiltration via borders and exchanging fire with Egyptian military," Boudfira.
Bourdfira did not provide further details on negotiations to end the issue.
Saleh Mouawad, municipal head of the Libyan city Amsa’ed near the Egyptian border, disclosed an initiative by tribesmen from Libya's eastern region to release the Egyptian drivers. He expects them to be released soon.
Relatives of the detained drivers said that 70 drivers were held by Libyan gunmen in the city of Ajdabiya on Friday.
The Egyptian trucks were on their way back to Egypt after delivering merchandise to Libya, when Libyan militia stopped them and detained 74 drivers as well as the trucks. The incident occurred five kilometers east of Ajdabiya on Friday.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that it is monitoring developments on the Egyptians' abduction.
The Egyptian embassy in Tripoli and consulate in Benghazi opened communication with Libyan officials and tribesmen to secure the drivers' release.
Meanwhile, Sherif Shawqi, cabinet media adviser, denied news that the Egyptian government was considering banning travel to Libya.
Shawqi added that Egyptian authorities were maintaining continuous communications in order to resolve the issue.
Major General al-Anany Hammouda, Marsa Matrouh security chief, said Egyptian authorities have banned Egyptian passengers and trucks from accessing Libya via the Salloum border crossing, while allowing Egyptians to return from Libya through the crossing.
