Gunmen abduct mayor of Libyan capital from his home

BENGHAZI, Libya – Libyan officials say gunmen have abducted the mayor of the capital after storming his home.

The municipality for central Tripoli said it suspended operations on Thursday in protest against the abduction of Abdul-Raouf Hassan Bitlmal the previous night. It called on the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli to make every effort to secure his release.

The Interior Ministry said a search is underway, without providing further details.

Libya descended into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country is now split between rival governments in the east and the west, each backed by an array of militias.