The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said 95 illegal migrants rescued off the Libyan coast were brought back to Tripoli on Sunday.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said 95 illegal migrants rescued off the coast of Libya were brought back to Tripoli on Sunday.
“About 95 people were intercepted/rescued at sea, and brought back to Tripoli by the Libyan coast guard this evening,” UNHCR tweeted late Sunday.
“The UNHCR and the IRC (International Rescue Committee) are currently providing them with blankets, water, and medical assistance,” the UN agency said.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least eleven illegal migrants drowned on Sunday when an inflatable boat capsized off the city of Zaouia, some 45km west of the capital Tripoli.
In recent days, hundreds of illegal migrants have been rescued by the Libyan coast guard and returned to Libya, while many more have perished at sea.
Due to several years of instability and turmoil, Libya has become a prime point of departure for thousands of migrants eager to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach European coasts.
These rescued migrants find themselves in overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls for their closure.