Libyan authorities have recovered nearly 30 migrant bodies in two separate incidents, highlighting the ongoing human smuggling crisis in the region.
In Jikharra, approximately 440 kilometers southeast of Benghazi, 19 bodies were found buried on a farm. Fourteen were discovered in a mass grave, while five others were located in different spots on the property. Officials believe the deaths are linked to a known smuggling network operating in the area.
Meanwhile, the Libyan Red Crescent recovered 10 bodies from a shipwreck near Zawiya, a coastal city west of Tripoli. Volunteers placed the bodies in plastic bags for forensic examination.
Last month, Libyan authorities freed over 260 sub-Saharan African migrants who had been held in inhumane conditions by smugglers. Reports indicate that many migrants stranded in Libya suffer from severe human rights abuses, including torture, slavery, and murder.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest migration routes, with at least 3,100 people reported dead or missing in 2023.
