Libyan anti-migration authorities expand operations in the south
Libya’s Anti-Illegal Migration Authority has expanded operations across southern cities and valleys as part of a new security plan which seeks to consolidate the country’s southern borders and limit migration, according to the Libya Review on November 30th.
The Authority chief, Major General Salah Mahmoud Al-Khweifi, issued a directive ordering intensified field patrols under the direct supervision of Major General Abdelrahman Al-Ansari, who is the Director of the Southern Region Branches.
According to an official statement, Al-Khweifi emphasised the importance of a stronger presence in Libya’s south due to its strategic value. He also urged his forces to remain vigilant to safeguard national security.
Many irregular migrants, most of whom are fleeing war, poverty or persecution, enter Libya from its southern border. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that Libya may be hosting over 800,000 Sudanese asylum seekers who were displaced by their country’s devastating civil war.
The Authority stated that its operations will include frequent border patrols to monitor potential violations, coupled with the enforcement of strict legal measures where applicable.
Libya continues to increase the assertiveness with which it is tackling the long-standing irregular migration crisis. The Foreign Minister of Libya’s eastern government, Abdel-Hadi Al-Hwaij, unveiled during a conference the “Benghazi Declaration.”
The declaration outlined a comprehensive Libyan framework which seeks to tackle the root causes of large-scale migration by broadening regional and international cooperation mechanisms.
Al-Hwaij shared much of Al-Khweifi’s sentiment in saying that getting irregular migration flows under control is an essential element to ensuring security and stability in not only Libya, but also in North Africa and the Sahel region.
However, speaking to Asharq Al-Aswat on November 26th, an anonymous Libyan security official revealed that the quantity of migrants seeking to cross into Europe from Libyan shores “has sharply increased in recent months”, despite heightened efforts by security efforts to dismantle smuggling networks and increase deportation operations.
Libya Review, Maghrebi.org
Want to chase the pulse of North Africa?
Subscribe to receive our FREE weekly PDF magazine
