Libya’s Central Bank (CBL) has announced the resumption of its operations following the release of Musaab Muslamm, the head of its information technology department, who was abducted from his home on Sunday by an unidentified group.
Muslamm was taken from the capital, Tripoli, and his abduction had led to the temporary halt of all bank operations, as the CBL refused to reopen until he was safely returned. The bank also reported that other employees had received threats of kidnapping.
In a brief statement on Monday afternoon, the CBL confirmed that Muslamm had returned unharmed, and the bank was back to normal operations.
The CBL, though independent, is owned by the Libyan state and is the sole internationally recognized repository for the country’s vital oil revenues, a critical economic lifeline in a nation fractured by ongoing conflict.
Muslamm’s abduction occurred just a week after the bank endured a siege by armed men, reportedly attempting to force the resignation of the bank’s governor, Seddik al-Kabir.
Kabir, who has been in office since 2012, has faced growing criticism over his management of Libya’s oil wealth and state budget.
On Monday, Kabir met with British Ambassador to Libya, Martin Longden, to discuss the escalating threats to the central bank’s security, its employees, and its systems.
Since the overthrow and death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been plagued by persistent insecurity and political fragmentation, with the country currently divided between two rival governments—one recognized by the UN in Tripoli, and another based in the east, supported by warlord Gen Khalifa Haftar.
