On Thursday, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said that over 73 Somali migrants stranded in Libya have been repatriated home. This is thanks to efforts by the European Union (EU) and the IOM in Somalia.
Earlier today, the IOM announced that 11,891 illegal migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya in 2020, compared to 9,225 in 2019.
The IOM said in a statement that 811 women and 711 children have been intercepted this year. It added that 316 migrants have died, and 417 others have been lost at sea this year, compared to 270 migrants missing and 992 deaths in 2019.
The chaos in Libya has turned it into the preferred departure point for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
The IOM has reiterated that Libya is not a safe port for migrants to be returned. Thousands of those rescued at sea are held in overcrowded, dangerous, and unsanitary detention centres in Libya.