Libya deports 69 irregular migrants

Libya deported 69 undocumented migrants of Egyptian nationality from the northeastern port city of Benghazi, Libya Review reported on January 22nd, citing the Anti-Illegal Migration Agency.

The migrants were transferred from Benghazi to Tobruk, a port city near the border with Egypt, before being removed from Libyan territory via the Emsaed land border crossing, according to an official statement. Authorities said some of the deported individuals were suffering from infectious diseases, while others were subject to security restrictions.

Libya remains a key transit route for migrants seeking to reach Europe, due to its geographic location and long land and sea borders. Many migrants attempt dangerous journeys through the desert and across the Mediterranean.

Officials said the situation has placed pressure on security institutions and public services, particularly in major cities such as Benghazi. Recent incidents have highlighted the risks faced by migrants and the challenges for authorities.

On January 14th, it was reported that Libyan security forces found the bodies of 21 migrants in a mass grave on a private farm near the eastern city of Ajdabiya, a key transit and residential hub south of Benghazi. Authorities added that some migrants were found alive at the site who showed signs of torture.

The same month, officials in northwestern Libya detained two members of a migrant smuggling gang operating along the Al-Khums coast, where four people were found dead in November 2025 after two boats carrying 95 migrants capsized.

In a separate incident, reported on January 18th, security forces uncovered what they described as a “secret prison” holding more than 200 migrant workers in the southeastern town of Kufra, one of Libya’s main host cities for refugees.

The recent deportation follows similar operations. It was reported on January 6th that Libyan authorities detained 41 migrants of various African nationalities during simultaneous raids on multiple locations that were reportedly used to house migrants illegally.

Authorities say deportation operations are part of efforts to control illegal migration and smuggling networks.

Libya Review, Maghrebi.org