Dozens of migrant corpses get detected in mass tombs in Libya

(MENAFN) Libyan authorities reported the discovery of at least 28 migrant bodies in a mass grave found in southeastern Libya, near Kufra, a city about 1,700 km from Tripoli. The bodies were unearthed following a raid on a human trafficking site, where 76 people were also freed from forced detention. The attorney general's office described a gang that had been torturing and abusing migrants, keeping them in captivity and subjecting them to inhumane conditions. Three suspects, including one Libyan and two foreigners, have been arrested.

This discovery followed the recent uncovering of 19 migrant bodies in mass graves on a farm in Jikharra, and the Libyan Red Crescent's recovery of ten bodies from a sunken migrant boat near Tripoli. The bodies were part of the growing humanitarian crisis in Libya, a key transit point for migrants from various African countries trying to reach Europe. Since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has become a hub for human trafficking, with approximately 787,000 migrants living in the country as of last October, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Libya remains one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world, with nearly 5,000 migrants reported dead or missing in 2023. The central Mediterranean route from Libya to Europe has seen over 2,200 deaths in 2024 alone. In response to the increasing fatalities, Libyan authorities have taken action, jailing dozens for human trafficking offenses, with some individuals receiving life sentences following the deaths of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

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