Libya central bank 'suspends all operations' after official abducted

The Central Bank of Libya said on Sunday it was "suspending all operations" after a bank official was abducted in the capital Tripoli, in a statement posted on social media.

Musab Msallem, head of information technology at the Central Bank, "was kidnapped by an unidentified group from his house this morning," said the statement.

The bank said it would "not resume operations" until Msallem is released, adding that other executives were also "threatened with abduction".

It called for an "end to these practices" and blamed "unlawful parties" that "threaten the safety of its employees and the continuity of the banking sector's work".

The bank provided no further details about the kidnapping.

Sunday's abduction came a week after the central bank's headquarters in Tripoli was laid siege to by armed men.

Local media said they did so in an attempt to force the resignation of the bank's governor, Seddik al-Kabir.

US ambassador Richard Norland said attempts to oust Kabir were "unacceptable", warning that replacing him "by force can result in Libya losing access to international financial markets".

Norland, in a post on social media platform X, said the confrontation in Tripoli "highlights the ongoing risks posed by the political stalemate in Libya".

Following the siege, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said the bank played an important role in the country's financial stability.

• World