BENGHAZI
Libyan militants have released dozens of Egyptian drivers along with their trucks after holding them for nine days in a bid to pressure Egyptian authorities into releasing several Libyans held in Egyptian police custody, a security official said.
"The militants released all the 160 drivers and 75 trucks after reaching an agreement on Monday," Anani Hamouda, deputy security chief of the border Matrouh province, told Anadolu Agency.
Most of the trucks are on their way home while some resumed their journey inside Libya to deliver their loads, he said, assuring the drivers are in good health.
Asserting that the drivers were released "unconditionally," Hamouda said the agreement was finalized thanks to diplomatic and intelligence efforts.
"The problem ended and Saloum border crossing re-opened in line with the deal," he said, giving no further details.
Libyan security official Mokhtar Mohamed confirmed the release, saying it came following efforts from the dignitaries of the eastern city of Ajdabiya.
Mohamed declined to disclose details of the agreement. However, a Libyan source said that the Egyptian authorities agreed to change the jails of Libyan prisoners and improve their imprisonment conditions.
There has been a spike of attacks against Egyptian citizens working in Libya and trucks carrying goods from Egypt to the turbulent country over the past months.
The rise in such attacks prompted the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to issue repeated warnings against travel to Libya. The ministry also advised Egyptians living and working in Libya to be cautious.
Libya has been dogged by political instability since the 2011 ouster and death of longstanding ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
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