Libyan security authorities have dismantled a criminal gang composed of Somali nationals accused of kidnapping, torturing, and extorting fellow Somali migrants in Tripoli.
According to the Security Directorates Support Agency in Tajoura, east of the Libyan capital, the operation began after security services received intelligence indicating that a group of Somali nationals had established a criminal network dedicated to abducting migrants from their own community and holding them captive under inhumane conditions.
Authorities said the gang subjected victims to severe physical torture, recorded the video abuse, and sent the footage to relatives abroad to force them to pay large ransom sums in exchange for the victims’ release. Officials described the scheme as a well-organized extortion operation targeting migrants with limited means of protection.
Following surveillance and intelligence-gathering efforts, the agency’s Fifth Unit raided the gang’s hideout, arresting one Somali suspect and rescuing two hostages who had reportedly suffered serious physical abuse. The victims received emergency medical treatment before being transferred to hospital for further care.
Security officials said several other gang members managed to flee during the raid and attempted to escape through Libya’s coastal cities, allegedly intending to use irregular migration routes to leave the country. However, investigators later arrested a second key suspect believed to have played a direct role in the kidnappings and documented acts of torture.
The first suspect has been referred to the Public Prosecution after preliminary investigations, while authorities continue pursuing the remaining fugitives. The Security Directorates Support Agency has published photographs of the wanted suspects through its official platforms and urged the public to provide any information that could assist in their arrest.
Kidnapping and extortion targeting migrants remain persistent challenges in Libya, which continues to serve as a major transit country for migrants attempting to reach Europe. Human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks have long exploited vulnerable migrants through abduction, forced labor, violence, and ransom demands.
Libyan authorities said the operation forms part of a broader campaign to dismantle organized criminal networks involved in kidnapping, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking. Officials pledged to continue pursuing all those involved and reaffirmed their commitment to bringing the remaining suspects to justice while strengthening efforts to combat organized crime across the country.
