Sea-Watch NGO rescue operation ends under Libyan gunfire

A new incident in the central Mediterranean has once again drawn attention to the increasingly violent dynamics surrounding migration routes between Libya and Europe.

According to the Associated Press on 11 May, a vessel linked to the, so called, Libyan coast guard opened fire near a rescue operation conducted by the NGO Sea-Watch after around 90 migrants had been rescued. The Libyan vessels “fired live ammunition, first a single shot and then a burst of 10 to 15 rounds, and ordered the ship to stop,” the witnesses said.

The episode is not an isolated event but rather part of a broader system, in which Libya has effectively become Europe’s external border buffer. Through financial support, training programs and bilateral agreements, the European Union, and particularly Italy, have increasingly relied on Libyan authorities and armed actors to contain migrant departures despite repeated accusations of human rights abuses.

On 30th April, as reported by Reuters, Libyan authorities announced that at least 17 migrants had died and nine others were missing after a shipwreck off the Libyan coast. The tragedy highlighted once again the deadly consequences of migration policies centered on deterrence rather than protection.

At the same time, Libya has intensified deportation campaigns targeting migrants and refugees across the country. Human rights organizations and UN agencies have warned that deportations are often carried out without legal safeguards or access to asylum procedures.

Italy in particular has steadily consolidated its role as one of Libya’s closest international partners. Beyond energy cooperation and political dialogue, migration control remains at the center of relations

On 7 May, according to Reuters, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah discussed strengthening cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the energy sector.

Over recent years, Italy and the EU have invested millions of euros into supporting Libyan border control capacities, including the training and equipment of the Libyan coast guard. Critics argue that this strategy has effectively outsourced migration management to a country where fragmented institutions operate with widespread impunity.

Migrants intercepted at sea and returned to Libya are frequently detained in centers where torture, forced labor, sexual violence and extortion are widespread. The UN has described the treatment of migrants in Libya as a system of “human rights violations and abuses.”

European governments continue to frame cooperation with Libya as necessary to reduce irregular migration. In April, new migrant deaths off the Libyan coast reignited criticism against border externalization policies promoted by Italy and the European Union. Rights groups accused European leaders of prioritizing containment over human rights protections.

Meanwhile, on 8 May, Libyan officials called on the international community and European partners to increase assistance in dealing with migration flows, arguing that Libya is carrying a disproportionate burden as a transit country.

The shooting near the Sea-Watch rescue operation therefore represents more than an isolated security incident. It reflects the broader consequences of a migration regime built on deterrence, militarization and the externalization of European borders a system in which migrants continue to pay the highest price.

AP, Reuters, Maghrebi.org