Militia storms hotel in Libya after guest told to pay overdue bill

(CNN) -- Armed members of a Libyan militia burst into a luxury hotel in the capital Tripoli on Saturday and opened fire after one of their members was told to pay an outstanding bill or vacate, sources and hotel officials said.

No casualties were reported, but the Rixos Hotel's general manager, Sukru Kocak, told CNN he was beaten and kidnapped. Kocak, who is Turkish, said he was released only after the Turkish Embassy and other officials contacted the Libyan government on his behalf. The luxury Rixos is owned by a Turkish company.

The incident began after hotel officials demanded that a guest, identified by sources as Ali Daw Zintani, pay six months' worth of overdue charges or be forced to leave the hotel. Zintani left the hotel and returned with dozens of armed men, who smashed through the front door and shot weapons into the air, witnesses said.

Kocak was taken to Zintani's office in the Fallah area of Tripoli where he said he was beaten, suffering injuries to his knees and a burst ear drum, causing him to lose hearing in his right ear. It's unclear if the damage to his hearing is permanent. Read More