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| Africa North |
| Iraqi professor kidnapped in Sirte |
| 2015-01-06 |
| An Iraqi professor Iraqi at the University of Sirte was kidnapped this morning. His three sons were also seized from their home in the town with him. Falah Diwan is said to have been teaching at the university’s medical department for 15 years. One of his sons has been named as Ziyad Falah. The kidnapping follows that yesterday in the town of 16 Egyptian Christians whose whereabouts are still unknown. Today’s kidnapping, however, is thought not to be directly related. The Egyptians are believed to have been taken by extremists because of their religion. Diwan is said to be a Sunni Muslim. However, this is not the first time that an Iraqi national has been targeted in Sirte. Last March, an Iraqi lecturer, also at Sirte university’s medical faculty, was shot dead while on his way to work. The killing was thought to be the work of militants targeting Iraqis because of Libyans being held in Iraq on charges of terrorism. Some have been executed. If today’s kidnapping is in revenge for Libyans being held in Iraq, it is possible that those responsible are linked to those involved in yesterday’s abductions. |
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