Libyan authorities in the east have deported more than 13,000 undocumented migrants in the first three months of 2025, according to Major General Salah Mahmoud Al-Khweifi, head of the Anti-Illegal Migration Department in the eastern region.
In a statement published on the department’s official Facebook page, Al-Khweifi said that 13,059 migrants of various nationalities were deported as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal migration. He attributed the department’s ability to implement its operations to what he described as “continuous support” from the Libyan General Command and the government.
Al-Khweifi emphasised that this backing has strengthened the department’s capacity to manage a complex and pressing file, particularly given the increasing number of migrants using Libya as a transit point to Europe.
In a related development, the department’s Deportation Office, in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), coordinated a voluntary humanitarian return flight from Benghazi’s Benina International Airport. The flight carried 177 Bangladeshi nationals back to their home country under the IOM’s voluntary return programme.
Additionally, 89 Egyptian nationals were repatriated via the Al-Musaid land border crossing after being apprehended during routine inspections and security raids. These operations are conducted daily in an effort to curb the flow of undocumented migrants entering or transiting through Libya.
Libyan security agencies reiterated their commitment to intensifying operations targeting smuggling networks and improving deportation procedures. They stressed that all deportation activities are carried out with full respect for migrants’ rights and in accordance with international humanitarian standards.
Libya remains a key hub for migration in the Mediterranean, with thousands of migrants passing through the country en route to Europe, despite challenging security and economic conditions.