Four Libyans arrested for sexually assaulting Britons

PanARMENIAN.Net - Four Libyans have been arrested over claims they sexually assaulted two British aid workers earlier this week, BBC News reported.

The workers were apparently abducted at a checkpoint near the city of Benghazi and held for hours before being freed.

The women were in a convoy travelling overland to Gaza. A Libyan army official said the arrested men were former members of the security forces who had been dismissed from their jobs several months ago.

The women were in a convoy driving from Morocco to Gaza. They reached the Egyptian border, where officials refused permission for them to cross. Five members of the convoy, including the two women, took a taxi to Benghazi in the hope of catching a flight back to the UK. They were stopped at a checkpoint, abducted and the two women were allegedly sexually assaulted.

UK ambassador Michael Aron told the BBC that the incident was horrific and the Libyan authorities were investigating.

The group of aid workers were taken to the Turkish consulate in Benghazi after their release. British officials said they had now returned to the UK.