ISIS Captures 20 Medical Workers in Lybia
Islamic State militants force captured hospital workers to treat them after an attack on Iba Sina Hospital on Monday, March 16. The militants invaded the hospital to capture the hospital workers because they needed medical aide, while performing terrorist attacks in Sirte. A hospital official said, in an interview with CNN, that ,” The militants cannot go far, with ISIS militants ordering them not to leave Sirte.”
March 26, 2015
The Islamic State Militants kidnapped 20 medical workers at the Ibn Sina Hospital in Sirte, Libya. Over 30 gunmen overran the hospital on Monday, March 16. The workers were simply waiting for their bus taking them to the capitol, Tripoli, when the armed soldiers confronted them in an attack on the hospital. Authorities believe that the workers were captured because they were the only hospital staff in the city of Sirte; the militants used the medical team to treat and take care of injured ISIS soldiers.
The Medical workers were released in the early morning Tuesday, March 17. Although the workers were released, they were under heavy pressure to keep up with the needs of the Islamic State militants need of medical assistance. Many of the workers, who are not of Libyan heritage, are being forced to stay in Sirte. Most workers are from Ukraine, India, Serbia, or the Philippians.
The abductions are just another example of the great upheaval in the Libyan society since 2011. Sirte was the place of the final standoff of former Syrian loyalist Moammar Gadhafid during the Libyan civil war, who was killed in the battle of Sirte on October 20, 2011. Officials believe the captures are just the beginning of many conflicts, as well as much turmoil, with the Islamic State and their activities in Libya.
