Dare-devil gunmen have kidnapped Libya’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan. The Libyan leader was kidnapped this morning and taken to an unknown location, the government said.

“The head of the transitional government, Ali Zeidan, was taken to an unknown destination for unknown reasons by a group” of men believed to be former rebels, the government said in a brief statement on its website.

An AP report said Mr. Zeidan was kidnapped from his Tripoli hotel. A source in the Prime Minister’s office said he had been kidnapped from Tripoli’s Corinthia hotel, where he resides.

AP quoted the official as saying that gunmen broke into the luxury hotel in downtown Tripoli and abducted him and two of his guards. The official spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The report said that hours before the abduction, Zeidan met with al-Libi’s family late Wednesday.

•Photo shows kidnapped Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.