24 people have been kidnapped in the western town of Al-Sayad and were taken to Wirshiffana region as hostages, the Head of the Captives and Missing Persons Committee in Al-Zawiya Municipality, Khairy Mustafa, has declared, in the latest record of violations on the highway between Tripoli and Al-Zawiya.
Security sources from Al-Zawiya said that an armed group affiliated with the so-called Tribes Army set up a fake checkpoint on the coastal road in Al-Sayad, and then it arrested some passers-by on identity basis and took them to Awlad Isa area in Wirshiffana.
The sources added that one of the kidnapped people was tortured and sent to hospital as his health conditions deteriorated.
The road between Tripoli and Al-Zawiya has become extremely dangerous. Gangsters, mostly from Wirshiffana region and loyal to the so-called Tribes Army, usually make fake checkpoints on the highway and rob passers-by and abduct others to demand a ransom.
Last month three citizens from Al-Qaraboulli city, 60 km to the east of Tripoli, were abducted in Wirshiffana region by the highway bandits and a ransom of LYD 20.000 for each was demanded for their release.
This year's pilgrims from Zuwara and Sabrath had to hire a private plane to fly to Mitiga Airport in Tripoli from where they left to Mecca to perform the annual Hajj season.
In 2013, a convoy of Gharyan pilgrims was robbed by Wirshiffana bandits in Al-Zahra district.
In July, Janzour Security Department declared the road from Tripoli to Al-Zawiya as unsafe, calling on the passers-by and travelers to Tunisia to take the necessary precautions while driving on the road.