Authorities in Benghazi have transferred 255 irregular migrants to a shelter facility in southern Libya as part of preparations for their voluntary return to their home countries.
The operation was carried out by the Libya’s Anti-Illegal Migration Agency, which said the migrants were relocated from Benghazi to the Barak Al-Shati shelter centre to complete the necessary procedures ahead of repatriation.
According to officials, the move was implemented under the directives of the agency’s chairman, Brigadier General Salah Mahmoud Al-Khafifi, as part of ongoing efforts to regulate the situation of irregular migrants in the country.
The Benghazi branch of the agency coordinated the operation with other regional offices, including units in Ajdabiya, Sirte, and the Oasis districts. The migrants were transported safely to the Abraq Al-Shati facility, located in the south of the country.
Officials said the group included migrants from several African countries. According to the agency’s Office of Shelter and Deportation, the migrants consisted of 144 nationals from Eritrea, 29 from Ethiopia, and 82 from Somalia.
The relocation process took place under the supervision of the branch’s deputy director and in coordination with the department responsible for accommodation and deportation procedures.
Authorities said the transfer represents part of a broader strategy aimed at organising migrant detention facilities and preparing migrants for return programmes carried out in coordination with relevant partners.
Libya remains a key transit point for migrants attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean. As a result, the country’s migration authorities regularly conduct relocation operations between detention centres while preparing migrants for repatriation.
Officials stressed that the process follows established procedures designed to manage migration flows while ensuring that migrants are processed in accordance with national regulations.
The agency added that efforts are ongoing across several regions of Libya to address irregular migration and implement organised return programmes for migrants wishing to return to their countries of origin.
