Libyan authorities on Saturday detained approximately 1,500 undocumented migrant workers during an extensive raid on a specific neighborhood located east of the capital Tripoli.
Libyan Labor Minister Ali al-Abed confirmed inspections uncovered numerous housing units where these foreign workers resided without proper permits or essential health records.
Libya remains embroiled in persistent conflict since Moamer Kadhafi’s 2011 overthrow, leaving the nation politically divided between two rival administrations.
Consequently, this North African country has become a crucial launchpad for tens of thousands of migrants risking perilous sea journeys toward European shores.
The targeted encampment featured makeshift housing surrounded by high walls, where hundreds of Egyptians and sub-Saharan Africans reportedly lived.
Inside, an AFP journalist observed basic amenities like a small grocery store, highlighting the unregulated and substandard living conditions at the site.
Minister Abed stated the housing failed to meet fundamental requirements for decent accommodation, alongside health and crucial workplace safety standards.
The detained migrant workers will now be transferred to centers managed by the Anti-Illegal Immigration Authority, initiating formal legal proceedings against them.
However, it remains definitively unclear whether these apprehended migrants will face immediate deportation from the country following the conclusion of these legal processes.
Earlier this month, European Union officials and ministers visited Libya specifically to discuss the pressing issue of irregular migration from the North African nation.
Migrants intercepted by Libyan authorities, even in international waters, are forcibly returned to Libya and held under harsh detention conditions frequently condemned by the United Nations.
