Italy's head of state Sergio Mattarella welcomed the freeing on Thursday from custody in Libya of 18 fishermen from Sicily's Maza Del Vallo fleet, praising the work of the foreign ministry, intelligence and security services in obtaining the men's release.
"The President of the Republic has learned with great satisfaction from the Prime Minister of the news of the release of our fishermen held in Libya," read the statement.
Mattarella "expresses appreciation for the deep commitment on the part of the foreign ministry and our intelligence and security services to obtaining this positive outcome," the statement went on.
The 18 fishermen from Sicily's Mazara del Vallo fleet were held in Benghasi after eastern security forces intercepted their boats off Libya's coast on 1 September for allegedly entering the country's waters.
The fishermen's release came after Italys' foreign minister Luigi Di Maio and premier Giuseppe Conte flew to Benghazi for talks with warlord Khalifa Haftar, whose militiamen detained the men.
