Jordan’s ambassador to Libya was kidnapped on Tuesday morning after masked gunmen attacked his car and shot his driver.

Jordan's ambassador to Libya was kidnapped on Tuesday morning after masked gunmen attacked his car and shot his driver, a spokesman for Libya's foreign ministry said.

The driver survived the attack and was in hospital, spokesman Said Laswad said. A Jordanian foreign ministry source said they believed that the incident occurred as their ambassador, Fawaz al-Itan, was leaving his house.

Kidnappings have become commonplace in Libya and abductors frequently target foreign officials. Since the start of the year, five Egyptian diplomats, a Tunisian official and a South Korean trade official have been abducted.

Tribal groups, militias and even local citizens frequently resort to road blockades and more seriously to shutting down the OPEC member's vital oil facilities as a negotiating tactic.