In a dramatic operation on Friday, Libya’s Criminal Investigation Agency rescued 263 illegal immigrants from a notorious trafficking gang operating in the Al-Wahat district. The victims, primarily from Eritrea, Somalia, and Ethiopia, had been subjected to horrific abuse, including torture, malnutrition, and sexual violence, at the hands of the traffickers.
The rescued migrants, many of whom were in critical condition, were immediately provided medical care. Twenty-five individuals required hospitalization due to the severe mistreatment they endured. The rest are currently being sheltered at a local authorities’ facility. According to the Criminal Investigation Agency, the traffickers held the victims hostage, demanding ransom payments from their families for their release.
Two suspects have been arrested, but authorities are continuing to search for other members of the criminal network. This rescue operation highlights the ongoing human rights crisis faced by migrants in Libya, a country often used as a transit point for refugees attempting to reach Europe.
Libya’s reputation as a major departure point for African migrants seeking asylum in Europe has made the journey through the country perilous. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) identifies Libya as the primary departure point in Africa for migrants, many of whom endure violence and exploitation in the process.
In 2020, Amnesty International reported that over 400,000 Libyans and 600,000 migrants from other countries were displaced within the country, with many subjected to severe abuses including forced labor, rape, and torture. These abuses often occur in detention centers run by the Libyan authorities, where conditions have been repeatedly condemned by human rights organizations.
The 2024 U.S. Department of State report echoed these concerns, documenting widespread human rights violations in detention centers controlled by Libya’s Department to Combat Illegal Migration. Amnesty International has called on Libya and the international community to take immediate action to protect vulnerable refugees and migrants from such abuses and to end the practice of arbitrary detention, which violates international human rights law.
This rescue operation serves as a stark reminder of the dangers facing migrants in Libya and the urgent need for international intervention to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.
