Two Italian hostages freed

Two Italian civilians held hostage in Libya since last July have been freed, a source close to the matter said on Friday, a day after two other captives were reported to have been killed in the north African state.

The source said the two freed men were in good health, but gave no further details.

On Thursday, the Italian Foreign Ministry said their two companions, who were kidnapped with them last July in the north African country, had probably died in a firefight near the western Libyan city of Sabratha.

The four were employees of the Italian construction company Bonatti. They were kidnapped near a compound owned by the oil and gas group Eni.