On Saturday, the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee denounced the killing of 30 illegal migrants, most of them being from Bangladesh, in Mezda which is near the city of Gharyan, southwest of Tripoli.
In a statement, the committee sent its condolences to the families of victims and to the Bangladeshi government, expressing its appreciation for the positive contributions of the Bangladeshi community in Libya, which condemns such criminal acts.
Eleven migrants who sustained severe injuries have been rushed to the hospital.
The committee also called for the immediate launch of an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The committee affirmed that it will continue to work with local and international agencies to improve the conditions of vulnerable groups such as refugees and illegal immigrants, in addition to pursuing human smuggling gangs.
“This crime is a bleak reminder of the horrors migrants have to endure at the hands of smugglers and traffickers in Libya,” the committee noted.
“These criminal groups are taking advantage of the instability and security situation to prey on desperate people and exploit their vulnerabilities.”
So far in 2020, nearly 4,000 people have been intercepted or rescued at sea and returned to Libya.
The recent and numerous incidents, involving boats in distress in the Mediterranean Sea and the reluctance of countries to provide a safe haven from the North African country, signals yet again the need for a change in approach to the situation in Libya.