Nearly 1,000 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast in past week: IOM

TRIPOLI, July 5– The International Organization for Migration said Monday that nearly 1,000 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya in the past week. In the period of June 27 to July 3, the IOM said, 949 migrants were rescued or intercepted at sea and returned to Libya. Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of…

TRIPOLI, July 5 (Xinhua) — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Monday that nearly 1,000 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya in the past week.

In the period of June 27 to July 3, the IOM said, 949 migrants were rescued or intercepted at sea and returned to Libya.

So far in 2021, a total of 15,700 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while 225 have died and 499 went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the IOM.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

Rescued migrants usually end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers. Enditem