Libyan authorities have deported 218 irregular migrants through Benina International Airport in Benghazi as part of a large-scale operation carried out by the Benghazi branch of the Anti-Illegal Migration Agency over 24 hours.
According to the agency, the operation involved three consecutive deportation flights and ranks among the largest repatriation efforts conducted by the branch in recent months. The migrants were returned to their countries of origin after the completion of legal, administrative, security, and health-related procedures.
The first flight included 35 Bangladeshi nationals. Officials stated that the group consisted of individuals with security-related records as well as others diagnosed with infectious diseases. The deportation was carried out in accordance with procedures governing public health and immigration regulations.
The second flight transported eight Yemeni nationals who were subject to deportation orders on security grounds. The flight also included two Pakistani nationals who were suffering from infectious diseases.
The third and largest flight carried 173 Bangladeshi migrants. Authorities said the group included individuals who had been intercepted while attempting to undertake irregular migration journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, one of the main routes used by migrants seeking to reach Europe.
The Anti-Illegal Migration Agency said all deportations were conducted through Benina International Airport following coordination with relevant authorities and the completion of the required legal procedures. Officials described the operation as part of broader efforts to regulate migration, enforce immigration laws, and combat human smuggling activities.
Libya remains a major transit country for migrants from Africa and Asia seeking to reach Europe. As a result, authorities have increasingly focused on strengthening border controls, disrupting smuggling networks, and expanding deportation and repatriation programs for individuals found to be residing in the country illegally.