Libyan authorities deported more than 150 Nigerian women and children on Tuesday as part of a UN-backed “voluntary return” program for irregular migrants, officials confirmed.
Libya serves as a primary departure point for migrants from Africa seeking passage to Europe through perilous Mediterranean crossings. Many face harsh conditions in detention centers after being intercepted or stranded.
Mohamad Baredaa of Libya’s migration agency told AFP that all deportees were Nigerian women and children. Sources at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported the group comprised 160 women and 17 children.
Dressed in black tracksuits, they gathered in a Tripoli detention center before being transported by bus to Mitiga Airport for their return flight. Authorities have planned additional repatriation flights this week for Bangladeshi, Gambian, and Malian migrants from airports in Tripoli and Benghazi.
Libya’s instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew dictator Moamer Kadhafi has fueled human trafficking networks. Smugglers exploit migrants seeking better opportunities, subjecting many to abuse.
According to IOM data, Libya hosts over 700,000 migrants, though Libyan officials claim the actual number is much higher. Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi suggested there could be over four million migrants, though many remain undocumented.
Seeking to address domestic concerns, Trabelsi stressed that Libya “will not bear the burden of illegal immigration alone and will not become a settlement zone.”
The latest deportations reflect ongoing challenges in managing migration flows through North Africa, with international agencies working to repatriate vulnerable individuals while Libya grapples with security and political instability.