Five Migrants Found Dead in Libya’s Desert

Authorities have recovered the decomposed bodies of five individuals from the eastern desert of Libya. It is believed that all the deceased were migrants.

The bodies were discovered on Thursday, 25 September, approximately 550 kilometres south of the city of Tobruk, in an area known as the Great Sand Sea. The recovery operation was carried out by a rescue team in collaboration with local authorities.

The Red Crescent reported that the bodies were transported to Tobruk following the recovery. The organisation described the incident as a stark example of how dangerous the journey through the desert can be for migrants, terming it a “death trek.”

A local non-governmental organisation in Libya, Abrin, which collects data on migrant deaths, indicated that the recovered bodies were likely Sudanese migrants. The NGO also released some photographs from the recovery operation.

Libya shares borders with six countries and has an extensive Mediterranean coastline. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi following the NATO-supported uprising in 2011, the country has become a key transit point for migrants from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East attempting to reach Europe.

Migrants in Libya face perilous journeys by land or sea to reach European shores. Boat sinkings along Libya’s coast have become a tragically common occurrence, and migrants often encounter exploitation, abuse, and life-threatening conditions even after reaching the country.

Kufra Ambulance and Emergency Services Director Ibrahim Belhasan reported that in May, a vehicle broke down while crossing the desert from the Chad border. Among the 34 passengers, at least seven Sudanese migrants died. Their bodies were found 11 days later in the sands, by which time food and water supplies had been exhausted.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as of 2024, Libya hosts at least 787,000 migrants and refugees of various nationalities and ethnicities.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) noted that in 2021, over 32,400 refugees and migrants departed from Libya for Europe, more than double the number in 2020.

In April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed increasing the staff of the European Union’s border and coast guard agency, Frontex, to 30,000 personnel, aiming to enhance external border protection and support for European security.

This incident underscores the extreme dangers faced by migrants in Libya, whether traversing deserts or crossing the Mediterranean. It also highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis at transit points and along migrant routes to Europe.

Source: InfoMigrants