Sixteen Egyptian fishermen who were detained in Libya for almost nine months for trespassing into Libyan territorial waters have been released, Al-Ahram Arabic news has reported.

The fishermen returned Cairo through Tunisia.

The fishermen, originally from Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, were arrested in Libyan territorial waters and were detained in a Libyan prison.  

The Egyptian foreign ministry held talks with Libyan authorities in Tripoli, as well as local tribes, to secure their release and transfer to Tunisia.

A number of incidents has seen Egyptian fishermen arrested in the territorial waters of neighbouring countries like Sudan, Libya and Tunisia.

Egypt’s foreign ministry has repeatedly intervened in these cases to ensure the release of the fishermen and has warned against trespassing in foreign waters.