Two Italian hostages captured in Libya freed

Two Italian construction workers kidnapped in Libya have been freed.

2 Italian Hostages of ISIS in Libya Are Freed, but 2 Others Are Feared Dead https://t.co/uzWIn7TtEq

— J.M. Berger (@intelwire) March 5, 2016

The two were among a group of four that had been captured, but Italian officials believe that the rest had most likely been killed.

They were employees of Italian construction company Bonatti and were seized last year near the western Libyan city of Sabratha, near a compound owned by the energy group, Eni.

Italian officials believe the four Bonatti workers were taken by a criminal gang hoping to secure a ransom.

Kidnapping for ransom has become a major problem in Libya as the country descended into chaos, since the ouster of its longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011.