Fifty one Egyptian fishermen made their way safely back to Egypt coming from the Libyan port of Misrata aboard 3 fishing boats, state-owned news agency MENA reported on Monday. Head of the Fishermen Syndicate in Kafr El-Sheikh, Ahmed Nassar, affirmed that 800 fishermen had arrived in Kafr El Sheikh governorate over the last six months, escaping from the unstable situation in Libya where various militias have been targeting Egyptian citizens especially Christians. Nassar added that about 300 fishermen are still stranded in Libya, 150 of whom are held at "Al Dafneya" prison and the rest at a school in Misrata. He urged Egyptian President and minister of Foreign Affairs to intervene and bring back the fishermen still in Libya. On January 12, a militia affiliated to Islamic State (IS) had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of 21 Egyptians, publishing their pictures on the group's website. It had announced its intention to kill all 21 hostages. Egyptian Foreign ministry has issued several travel warnings to Libya, amid serious armed clashes between the Libyan national army and a number of extremist Islamic groups.
