On Monday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that 92 migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya.
“92 persons were returned to Tripoli last night, among them 4 women & 3 children. They embarked one day earlier from Zuwara,” it tweeted.
“Nearly 28,000 persons were returned this year to Libya by the coastal security,” it said.
Libya has been suffering from insecurity and chaos since 2011, making the North African country the preferred point of departure for migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores, according to Xinhua.
Rescued migrants often end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close the centers.
UNHCR has recently called on the Libyan authorities to address the dire situation of asylum-seekers and refugees.
Last month, Libya’s Anti-Illegal Immigration Department said 128 migrants were repatriated to their country of origin.
Raids and arbitrary arrests by the authorities this month targeted areas largely populated by refugees and asylum-seekers. This resulted in several deaths, and thousands detained.
“Since the start of the security raids and arrests by the Libyan authorities in October, we have witnessed a sharp deterioration in the situation facing vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees in Tripoli,” said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR’s Special Envoy for the Western and Central Mediterranean Situation.
“The Libyan authorities must come up with a proper plan that respects their rights and identifies durable solutions,” he said.
“Many have been left homeless and lost all their belongings as a result of the security operation. They are now sleeping in the cold and in a very unsafe environment. This is utterly unacceptable,” said Cochetel.
UNHCR and Doctors without Borders (MSF) said the raids, mostly targeting irregular migrants, left more than 5,000 detained.