TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The Libyan Red Crescent says seven members of its Iranian counterpart have been kidnapped shortly after their arrival in the western city of Benghazi.

The Libyan Red Crescent said in a statement Tuesday the seven Iranians were snatched as they headed to their hotel Monday. The statement appealed to the gunmen to release them, commending the Iranian Red Crescent for its role in helping Libyan rebels during the civil war that unseated longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi last year.

Since Gadhafi's capture and killing in October, Libya has been beset by a wave of score-settling between rival armed groups, as well as lawlessness, including frequent abductions.