According to Italy’s NOVA news agency, the number of migrant journeys originating from the Barqa region in East Libya to Italy has significantly dropped since the start of the current year up to February 15th.
The agency reported on Saturday that, based on the latest data from the Italian Ministry of the Interior, departures from Libya have primarily been from the Tripoli region, especially from the localities of Zuwara, Sabratha, and Zawiya.
It was noted that at least 4,028 migrants have arrived in Italy irregularly from the beginning of the year until February 15th, marking a 46.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. However, the number of arrivals from Libya specifically increased from 2,614 to 2,822, showing a 7.9% rise.
This shift indicates a significant change in migration patterns, with Tripoli becoming the main departure point for migrants heading to Italy, while the traditional route from Barqa diminishes.
A recent statistic released by the Italian Ministry of Interior reported that 2,614 irregular migrants arrived in Italy from the Libyan shores during 2024.
According to the Italian news agency, NOVA, data indicates a 46.9% decrease in the number of irregular migrants to Italy by sea during the year 2024, with 4,028 arrivals compared to 7,857 during the same period last year.
The number of arrivals to Italian shores from Tunisia decreased to 1,172 migrants since the beginning of 2024 until February 15th, compared to 4,236 during the same period last year, a decrease of 72.3%.
Meanwhile, the number of arrivals from Libya to Italy increased to 2,614 compared to 2,822 migrants, representing a 7.9% increase.
According to NOVA, departure operations from Libya mainly included the Tripoli region, especially the localities of Zuwara, Sabratha, and Zawiya, while arrivals from Benghazi decreased.
In addition to over 4,000 migrants, more than a thousand individuals were intercepted at sea and returned to Libyan territory, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
