Seven Indians, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, were kidnapped in Libya last month and India is in touch with authorities in the African nation to secure their release, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The Indians were kidnapped at a place called Asshwerif on September 14 when they were on their way to the Tripoli airport to catch a flight to India, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.

“The government is in touch with their family members and would like to assure them that we are making all possible efforts in consultation and coordination with Libyan authorities and the employer to trace our nationals and secure their release from captivity at the earliest,” he said.

Srivastava said the Indian nationals were working at a construction and oil field supplies company.