The Islamic State (IS) militants kidnapped three civilians, including a father and his two children, in a Libyan town near former IS affiliates' stronghold Sirte, said a military source on Sunday.
Three family members were reportedly abducted from south of the town of Ageela, which is 100 km east of Sirte, a Mediterranean coastal city in northern Libya.
The source said the family were on a short trip in a valley and was taken by IS members to unknown locations Saturday evening, adding that the father later managed to escape, says a Xinhua news agency report.
Meanwhile, information from the security authorities of the nearby city of Brega confirmed that a body was found, likely to be one of the abductees, said the source.
In December 2015, forces allied with the UN-backed Libyan government defeated the IS affiliates and expelled them from Sirte.
The remnant IS fighters fled to southern valleys and mountainous areas ever since.
The terrorists have irregularly set up mobile checkpoints on the road leading to the southern cities to scrutinize passing civilian cars in search of soldiers or security personnel to kidnap.