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Gunmen Fire at UN Convoy in Libya, Seize Workers

by VOA News

   Gunmen fired at a United Nations convoy in Libya on Wednesday and
   seized seven U.N. observers.

   A U.N. spokesman said the convoy was traveling between Tripoli and the
   town of Surman in western Libya when the gunmen started shooting. One
   vehicle was damaged, but the seven staffers who were detained briefly
   were released unharmed.

   The U.N. thanked Libyan government officials and local authorities for
   helping to ensure the workers' safety, and said the U.N. staff in Libya
   remain committed to supporting peace and security.

   The identity of the gunmen is unclear, but militias are believed to be
   widespread across parts of western Libya.

   Libya is split between an internationally recognized government in
   Tripoli and rival administrations, all jockeying for power and control
   over the country's oil wealth.