On Monday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Libya (UNHCR) announced that 79 refugees and migrants were intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard.
The UNHCR pointed out that the migrants were returned to Tripoli, earlier today. It added that coast guard had also managed to intercept another boat carrying about 40 migrants.
“While UNHCR’s partner International Rescue Committee (IRC) was providing assistance to all survivors, another boat in distress was being returned with some 40 persons on board,” the UNHCR tweeted on Monday.
UNHCR has repeatedly stated that Libya is not a safe port to return these migrants, in light of the security conditions.
On Saturday, the Al-Kufra Accommodation and Deportation Centre announced the deportation of 3,553 illegal migrants to Sudan and Chad in 2020.
Libya has become the preferred point of departure for thousands of migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean toward Europe.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported that about 12,000 illegal migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya in 2020.