TRIPOLI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based interim government later on Tuesday expressed concern over the kidnapping of the member of the UN-backed government's presidential council, Fat'hi al-Majbri, in the capital Tripoli.
The Libyan interim government is following with great concern the reports of the abduction of the member of the "unconstitutional" presidential council, Dr. Fat'hi al-Majbri, his minder and his bodyguards who were shot by unknown gunmen and taken the abductees to an unknown location, the government said in a statement.
"As we express our hope that the abductees will return safely to their families, we confirm with no doubt that Tripoli is still suffering from criminal armed groups and extremist terrorists," added the statement.
Al-Majbri, close to the eastern-based army commander Khalifa Haftar, was kidnapped a few hours after announcing his support for the army handing over the oil crescent region to the interim government.
"The international community should consider what is happening in the city of Tripoli as a result of militias' control over political and security decisions, which puts the lives of the citizens and the unity and safety of Libya at risk," the statement demanded.
Libyan eastern-based army said on Monday that the army commander, Khalifa Haftar, has issued a decision to hand over the oil crescent region to the National Oil Corporation of the eastern-based interim government, a few days after taking over the region by defeating the terrorists occupying it.
The oil crescent region is located some 500 km east of the capital Tripoli and contains the country's largest oil ports.
The UN-backed government in Tripoli on Tuesday called on the UN Security Council to stop any "illegal sale" of oil, saying "such acts will increase division and undermine years of local and international efforts to achieve stability."
Despite signing a UN-sponsored peace agreement by the Libyan political parties in 2015, Libya remains politically divided between eastern and western governments, both competing for legitimacy.
