Libyan security forces have foiled an attempt to smuggle irregular migrants and fuel across the Libya–Sudan border, authorities confirmed, as part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal cross-border activities in the country’s southern regions.
According to the Anti-Illegal Migration Authority’s South-East branch, patrol units conducting routine surveillance and desert monitoring operations intercepted two vehicles near the Libyan-Sudanese border.
Officials reported that the first vehicle had entered Libyan territory from Sudan and was transporting 22 irregular migrants in what authorities described as a human smuggling operation. The migrants were discovered during a patrol sweep in the border area, which is known to be a major route used by traffickers moving people toward northern Libya and the Mediterranean.
The second vehicle was intercepted while attempting to leave Libyan territory carrying a quantity of smuggled gasoline, authorities said. Fuel smuggling remains a persistent problem in Libya due to price differences between Libya and neighboring countries, making subsidized fuel a frequent target for cross-border trafficking networks.
The Anti-Illegal Migration Authority stated that legal procedures have been initiated against those involved, while the migrants are being processed in accordance with Libyan regulations.
Security officials said the operation is part of intensified monitoring across Libya’s southern desert borders, an area that stretches thousands of kilometers and is often exploited by migrant smugglers, fuel traffickers, and organized criminal networks.
The Desert Patrol Department confirmed that its security operations will continue without interruption, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, as authorities work to combat illegal activities that threaten Libya’s security and economic stability.
Southern Libya remains a key transit corridor for migrants traveling from sub-Saharan Africa toward the Mediterranean coast, making border monitoring a priority for Libyan authorities and international partners seeking to curb irregular migration and human trafficking in the region.