Eastern government of Abdullah Al-Thanni denied that its spokesman Abdelhakim Matoug had been abducted, saying he was sacked for bad performance.

The government added that Matoug was referred to the Attorney General's Office for reluctance to cooperate with the handover of power committee, including refusing to hand over a car because he wants to sell it before leaving Libya.

Security personnel raided his home after getting an arrest warrant in order to apprehend him, and his allegations that he was targeted for abduction are meant to cover for his bad deeds, the Al-Thanni-chaired government added.

The eastern government is part of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, a rival body to the two governments in Tripoli, the National Salvation Government of the General National Congress and the UN-proposed government with its Presidential Council and High Council of State.