The Libyan Illegal Migration Control Department has undertaken the repatriation of 248 illegal migrants, emphasizing a commitment to managing irregular migration. Out of this group, 120 individuals were deported by air to Niger, while the remaining 128 were repatriated by land to Chad, as stated by Badraddin Ben-Hamed, the head of the Deportation Office.
The Deputy President of the Presidency Council, Musa al-Kuni, commended the process as “humane and appropriate” during his visit to the department at the time of the deportation. Despite resource challenges, al-Kuni expressed gratitude to the department for their efforts in providing proper and humane living conditions for migrants.
Libya has faced increased migration challenges, especially from Africans, seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores amid the country’s post-2011 insecurity and chaos following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. In 2023 alone, 15,057 illegal migrants have been rescued and repatriated to Libya, according to the International Organisation for Migration.