Until recently, the shores of Zawiya, west of Tripoli, were the crossroads for much of Libya’s human trafficking. But over the last few weeks, such trade has come to a standstill.
The Rada Special Deterrence Force reported yesterday that it has arrested one of the biggest Libyan fuel smugglers and illegal migration traffickers. The accused, Fahmi Salim Musa Bin Khalifa from Zuwara is labeled by Rada as the ‘‘king of smuggling’’ in Libya. He is reported to own a transport network, …
Chinese manufacturers are advertising inflatable dinghies as “high-quality refugee boats” in an attempt to market them to people-smugglers in the Mediterranean, despite the EU asking China to clamp down on the practice.
The UN’s new envoy to Libya endorsed Italy’s efforts to stop the flow of migrants leaving the north African state for Europe on Tuesday, despite misgivings among human rights groups.
Human Rights Watch, the rights advocacy group, has given warning that Italy’s naval mission to prevent refugees and migrants from setting sail from Libya for Europe could see Italy commit human rights abuses.
The Head of the Presidential Council of the UN-proposed government, Fayez Al-Sirraj, arrived in Rome, Italy, Wednesday and met with the Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni.
EU member states on Tuesday extended the landmark Sophia rescue operation in the central Mediterranean for another 18 months amid growing concern at the huge number of migrants crossing to Europe.
EU foreign ministers are seeking a joint global strategy on refugees and migration as thousands continue to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea.
The European Union has imposed limits on the export of inflatable boats to Libya in a bid to make it harder for smugglers to send refugees and migrants to Europe.
The EU naval operation to save migrants and disrupt human-trafficking networks is “lunacy” and brings “shame” on Europe, a Belgian government minister has said.
