Libya: Bodies of Italian hostages flown home

The bodies of two Italian hostages shot dead in Libya in July have been flown home.

Salvatore Failla and Fausto Piano were reportedly killed by Islamic State militants during clashes with Libyan forces.

Reports suggest two employees of the Italian construction company Bonatti were executed by Islamic State militants.

They were kidnapped last year near the Western Libyan city of Sabratha near a company owned by energy company, Eni.

A statement from Italy’s foreign ministry last week said Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla had probably died in a firefight.

Other captives, Gino Pollicardo and Fillippo Calcagn had been released during a raid on March 4 and were later transferred by helicopter to Tripoli from Sabratha at night before boarding an Italian plane.

“We need support and cooperation from the Italians to tackle the criminal organisation of Islamic State in Libya,” Ali Abu Zakouk, the foreign minister of Tripoli’s self-declared government said.

Militants of the Islamic State have been active in Sabratha since the toppling of former leader Muammar Gaddafi five years ago.