UN: 800 people returned to Libya while crossing Mediterranean
2020 was a deadly year for people fleeing Libya for Europe, according to data from the UN's International Organization for Migration.
Nearly 1,000 people fleeing to Europe by boat from Libya were stopped and sent back to shore this week. People seeking to cross the Mediterranean continue to risk death if they are not stopped by Libyan authorities.
“In 24 hours, more than 1,000 migrants departed from Libya, fleeing dire humanitarian conditions,” the International Organization for Migration said Friday on Twitter. “Over 800 of them were intercepted and returned to shore.”
Libya is a common point of departure for people fleeing the African continent to Europe across the Mediterranean Sea. Some of those coming are from Libya, where there is an ongoing civil war between the UN-backed Government of National Accord and the eastern-based Libyan National Army. The two entities signed a cease-fire in October. People from other African countries have also attempted to flee via Libya.
The Libyan coast guard regularly brings those fleeing back to shore. The naval force returned 80 people to Libya on Jan. 22, according to the migration organization, which is part of the United Nations.
