TRIPOLI (AFP) - Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was released on Thursday several hours after being seized from a Tripoli hotel by former rebel militiamen, the foreign minister said.

"He has been freed but we have no details so far on the circumstances of his release," Mr Mohammed Abdelaziz told AFP.

The pre-dawn seizure of Mr Zeidan came five days after US commandos embarrassed and angered Libya's government by capturing senior Al-Qaeda suspect Abu Anas al-Libi off the streets of Tripoli and whisking him away to a warship.