Libya Intercepts 119 Illegal Migrants Near Tripoli

The Libyan Coast Guard (IRC) intercepted 79 refugees and migrants near Tripoli on Monday, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Libya (UNHCR).

In a tweet, UNHCR said that the immigrants were returned to Tripoli, earlier Monday. It added that the IRC has also managed to intercept another boat carrying about 40 migrants.

The UNHCR has repeatedly stated that Libya is not a safe port to return these migrants, in light of its security conditions.

On Saturday, the Al-Kufra Accommodation and Deportation Centre announced the deportation of 3,553 illegal immigrants to the countries of Sudan and Chad in 2020.

Libya has become a preferred point of departure for thousands of people who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe after the insecurity and chaos that the 2011's civil war.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that about 12,000 illegal migrants were intercepted at the Mediterranean Sea and returned to Libya in 2020.

In December, 13 people have been lost in the central Mediterranean. The alarm was raised by the Alarm Phone (Ap), a switchboard that receives migrants’ SOS. They left on the evening of December 24 from the Libyan coast of Sabratha, 80 km west of Tripoli, on a fiberglass boat, according to il manifesto Italian newspaper.

They were men from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nigeria. They did not arrive in Lampedusa and the sea conditions, rapidly worsening, lead to fear of the worst.

“We did not speak directly with people traveling,” said Deanna Dadusch of the Alarm Phone. “We were contacted by three distinct family members, who called us several times. Very worried.”

On 26 December, the AP forwarded the distress request to the Maltese and Italian coastguards and Frontex, transmitting all the information in its possession and the telephone numbers of the migrants, which can be used for location attempts.

Frontex said it carried out two reconnaissance flights on Saturday 26, but without identifying the boat. It is surprising that the European agency responded to the PA after it avoided all relations with humanitarian organizations for a long time.

The change of practice, if confirmed, could depend on the heavy accusations recently received for the work in the Aegean, following which some MEPs asked for the resignation of director Fabrice Leggeri.

The Italian coast guard would also be dealing with the fate of the lost 13 people, but so far no more details are known. “Why don’t the Italian and Maltese authorities start a search and rescue mission?” asked the deputy Erasmo Palazzotto (LeU).