Concern over safety of migrants returned to Libya

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Mediterranean sea migrants crossing

from AHMED ZAYED in Tripoli, Libya
TRIPOLI, (CAJ News) THERE is extreme concern over the safety of migrants and refugees being returned to Libya after failed attempts to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.

The Libyan Coast Guard has captured the individuals in the latest crackdown against the illegal and mostly dangerous trips.

Since last Thursday, the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC’s) teams have responded to four disembarkations in the west of the country.

This brings the total of those returned to Libya so far this year to approximately 7 000 people.

“Those returned are fortunate to have survived,” said Thomas Garofalo, Libya director at the IRC.

More than 500 people have drowned or gone missing while attempting the journey across the Mediterranean this year.

This includes more than 130 deaths in a single shipwreck last week.

IRC has called on political leaders to urgently re-establish search and rescue operations, strengthen coordination with all rescue actors, end returns to unsafe ports and working with the Libyan authorities to ensure the release of all migrants and asylum seekers from detention centres.

Libya is emerging from a decade of political crises.

The North African country degenerated into turmoil in 2011 when former president Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and murdered during the so-called Arab Spring.

– CAJ News

 

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