Libyan security forces have dismantled a human trafficking ring operating in Ajdabiya, arresting seven suspects accused of torturing migrants and holding them in inhumane conditions, according to a statement by the Ajdabiya Security Directorate on Sunday.
The operation involved a raid on a remote farm where over 100 irregular migrants, both men and women, were found crammed into pitch-black, airless underground chambers. The Directorate described the conditions as “unfit for human life”, with many of the victims on the brink of death.
Investigators found graphic videos on the suspects’ mobile phones showing the brutal torture of detainees. Victims were reportedly chained, beaten, and denied food and water for up to three days. According to the statement, the captives were “screaming and begging in languages we did not understand, but their eyes and tears said it all”.
The arrested gang members include four Libyan nationals, two Sudanese, and one Egyptian. Authorities say the group either planned to sell the migrants to human traffickers involved in maritime smuggling operations, or to extort ransoms by sending graphic torture videos to the victims’ families.
The 104 freed migrants have since received emergency medical and humanitarian assistance. They are now housed in secure facilities while arrangements are made for their return to their home countries.
Police confirmed the demolition of the site and pledged to prosecute the perpetrators. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to identify broader trafficking networks connected to the cell.
