Libyan emergency services in Kufra have announced a rescue operation to save around 30 Sudanese refugees stranded in the remote southern desert. The group, which includes women and 10 children, became stuck after their vehicle broke down near Wadi Hawar, deep inside Libyan territory.
Ibrahim Belhassen, head of the Emergency and Ambulance Department in Al-Kufra, said rescue teams would begin the mission on Monday after completing logistical preparations. He confirmed the refugees had been without water or communication for days, facing extreme heat that threatened their lives.
The group was travelling from Sudan through Chad before their vehicle suffered a malfunction in a desert area. Belhassen revealed that two Libyan citizens travelling to Chad discovered the stranded refugees on Sunday and provided them with limited water supplies. They then searched for others who had left the vehicle in search of help and managed to locate them just in time.
The young men were instrumental in identifying the group’s location, allowing emergency teams to prepare the rescue mission. Belhassen warned that such incidents are becoming increasingly frequent as refugees attempt to cross desert routes without proper equipment, communication tools, or support.
He stressed that travelling in a single, unequipped vehicle across dangerous desert terrain poses a constant threat to displaced persons and migrants.
The upcoming operation highlights the growing humanitarian challenges facing Libya’s southern regions, especially as conflict in Sudan continues to drive people into neighbouring countries. Local authorities in Al-Kufra have frequently called for increased support and coordination to better manage migrant flows and desert rescue operations.
