The Head of Libya’s Anti-Illegal Migration Agency, Major General Salah Al-Khafeefi, has accused the European Union and international organisations of neglecting Libya’s efforts to manage irregular migration, saying they treat the country as “a place for migrant settlement rather than a transit state.”
Speaking to Al-Masar TV, Al-Khafeefi stressed that only the Libyan Armed Forces and the government provide real support to the agency. “We have deported more than 31,000 migrants during the first half of 2025 from different nationalities,” he said, adding that the deportations covered Libya’s eastern, southeastern, and western regions.
According to Al-Khafeefi, around 75% of deportation operations were financed by the Libyan Armed Forces and the government, while foreign embassies and consulates contributed only a small share. He noted that several migrant accommodation centres have been established in the east and south of the country, funded entirely by Libya, with a completion rate of around 70%.
He highlighted the agency’s struggle to control the country’s vast borders, made more difficult by the absence of surveillance drones due to ongoing international sanctions.
Al-Khafeefi also raised concerns about the health risks posed by incoming migrants, citing the spread of HIV and other infectious diseases, particularly among migrants from Sudan, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.
He reiterated that despite these challenges, Libya remains committed to addressing the migration crisis with limited external support, calling for international cooperation that respects Libya’s sovereignty and role as a transit—not destination—country.
