The Serbian authorities have arrested a number of Libyan students who are pursuing their studies in Serbia, Sabratha Mayor, Hussein Al-Dwadi said Tuesday, days after the abduction of two Serbian diplomats in Libya.

In a tit-for-tat reaction, Al-Dwadi told Al-Nabaa TV that the students were apprehended in one of the Serbian airports when they were planning to leave Serbia for Libya in retaliation for the abduction of the two diplomats in Sabratha on Sunday.

“We Libyans find it strange that the Serbian authorities could act this way in reaction to the abduction of its diplomats when in fact they know that the Libyan authorities are doing their best to find them.” He added.

Elaborating on the incident, Al-Dwadi said that Sabratha has nothing to do with the abduction and the Serbian Embassy is the only one responsible because they passed with their car through the city without prior coordination and knowledge of it neither by Sabratha municipality nor by other authorities for protection.

He added that Sabratha is going through an intentional defaming campaign nowadays and negating any terrorist cells presence in the city.