Around 600 undocumented Egyptian residents in Libya lined up outside the Tripoli-based Directorate of Combatting Illegal Migration (DCIM) on Monday to obtain exit permits.
The responsibility for repatriating refugees and migrants in Libya recently shifted from United Nations agencies to the DCIM under an agreement between the country’s two administrations.
The deputy for security affairs at the DCIM confirmed the deportation of the 600 Egyptian nationals for illegal entry into Libyan territory.
The majority of these migrants, mainly men, embarked on a 1,375-km journey to the Egyptian crossing facility of Esmaed on buses.
Many Egyptians have been living in Libya for years, often employed in various sectors such as agriculture and construction, while some attempt to use Libya as a transit point to reach Europe. Notably, Libya has become a central point for tens of thousands of migrants annually attempting to reach Europe by sea.
In previous months, unverified footage broadcasted by Libyan media displayed nearly 1,000 Egyptians escorted by soldiers and compelled to reach the Egyptian border on foot.
The UN International Organisation for Migration reported that between May and June of this year, over 700,000 migrants were present on Libyan territory.