Libya repatriated 369 migrants to their home countries, Nigeria and Mali on Tuesday.
This group included more than one hundred women and children. The head of the Libyan interior ministry organization handling irregular migration, Mohammed Baredaa, confirmed the repatriation.
Baredaa stated, “Two repatriation flights took place transporting 204 Nigerians and 165 Malians.” He added that the group included “nine babies, 18 minors, and 108 women.”
The flights were organized “in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM),” Baredaa noted. The IOM runs a “voluntary humanitarian return programme” that provides free return flights and helps migrants reintegrate into their home countries.
However, some migrants claimed they were forcibly deported. Hakim, a 59-year-old Nigerian who has lived in Libya for 25 years, shared his experience. He said, “Libyan authorities came at night and broke down the door. They confiscated my passport before detaining me and my wife.”
Libya has faced challenges since the 2011 NATO-backed overthrow of longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi. The country remains unstable, with smugglers and traffickers exploiting the situation. Libya is a major departure point for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa attempting dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossings to reach Europe.
Libya’s efforts to curb irregular migration have left many migrants stranded. Earlier this month, Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi highlighted the issue, stating, “It’s time to resolve this problem,” and noting that Libya has become a “country of settlement,” which he found “unacceptable.”
