A total of 348 migrants voluntarily returned from Libya to their home countries last week through the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program, as humanitarian efforts continue to assist stranded migrants across the country.
According to the IOM, the operation was carried out through two charter flights funded by the European Union. One flight departed from Benghazi carrying 173 Bangladeshi migrants, while the second left Tripoli with 175 Ghanaian nationals returning home.
The organization said the flights form part of its ongoing humanitarian response aimed at providing safe, orderly, and dignified return options for migrants who wish to leave Libya voluntarily after becoming stranded in the country.
The IOM noted that migrants participating in the program receive logistical, medical, and protection assistance before departure to ensure their journey is conducted safely and in line with international humanitarian standards. The organization added that the initiative remains one of its key tools for assisting vulnerable migrants unable or unwilling to continue their migration journeys.
The repatriation flights were financed by the European Union under programs focused on migrant protection and migration management in Libya. The IOM said continued EU support has enabled the organization to expand humanitarian assistance and voluntary return operations for migrants across the country.
Libya remains one of the principal transit countries for migrants from Africa and Asia attempting to reach Europe through the central Mediterranean route. Many migrants become stranded in Libya because of conflict, financial hardship, trafficking networks, or the dangers associated with irregular migration.