TRIPOLI, Feb 27 (NNN-XINHUA) — The International Organization for
Migration (IOM) said that more than 150 illegal migrants have been
rescued off the Libyan coast.
“Over 150 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya Friday by the
coast guard,” the IOM said on Twitter.
Due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation
following the overthrow of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, thousands of illegal migrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean from
Libya towards Europe.
The IOM estimates that in 2020, 323 migrants died and 417 others went
missing on the Central Mediterranean route, while 11,891 illegal migrants
were rescued and returned to Libya.
Many illegal migrants who were either rescued at sea or arrested by the
authorities end up detained inside overcrowded reception centers in Libya,
despite repeated international calls for closing those centers. — NNN-XINHUA
