By Ebi Kesiena
At least 107 migrants including women and children have been freed from captivity in a town in southeast Libya, a security force spokesman said.
Walid Alorafi, representing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Benghazi disclosed that some of the freed migrants had been under captivity for as long as seven months, expressing their desire to reach Europe.
The migrants hail from diverse sub-Saharan countries, predominantly Somalia, Alorafi noted.
“Our team conducted a targeted raid on a hideout located in the heart of Kufra overnight, uncovering a distressing scene of illegal migrant detention, with women, children, and elderly men bearing signs of torture and gunshot wounds,” Alorafi stated.
He further informed that the rescued individuals have been transferred to the appropriate authorities at the illegal migration agency for necessary procedures.
Video footage released by the CID captured the demolition of the premises where the migrants were unlawfully held. Additional footage depicted migrants exhibiting visible signs of torture, while some were attended to by aid workers, being carried towards awaiting ambulances.
Alorafi expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health conditions of some migrants, emphasizing the urgent need for medical attention.
Kufra, situated approximately 1,712 kilometers (1,064 miles) southeast of the capital, Tripoli, has emerged as a focal point in the plight of migrants traversing through Libya.
Since the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya has evolved into a perilous transit route for migrants, drawn by the allure of its oil-driven economy and the hope of reaching Europe, often through treacherous desert crossings and perilous Mediterranean sea voyages.
According to UN data compiled in mid-2023, Libya hosts a staggering 704,369 migrants representing over 43 nationalities. In a chilling discovery last March, the Criminal Investigation Department unearthed a mass grave containing the remains of at least 65 migrants in southwest Libya.
In response to these harrowing developments, UN Special Envoy Abdullah Bathily urged enhanced regional collaboration to safeguard the rights and well-being of migrants.
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