On 23 August, IOM organized a voluntary repatriation charter flight with 241 Nigerian migrants (67 women and 174 men) back to Lagos, Nigeria.
In August, 388 migrants were rescued outside the Libyan coast. The Libyan Coast Guard has so far this year rescued 10,634 migrants.
Al Falah detention centre in Tripoli ran out of food on 23 August. After an intervention by IOM, Libyan Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration was able to take over the food delivery on 25 August.
IOM Libya’s Chief of Mission Othman Belbeisi sat down with BBC Media Action’ s El Kul (For Everyone) to talk about the migration situation in Libya.
Situation Overview
Libya remains divided after the House of Representatives (HoR), based in the north - eastern city of Tobruk, voted no - confidence in the UN - backed Government of National Accord led by Fayez al - Sarraj. This is a set back for the international community, which has faced increasing difficulty in mobilising support behind the Government of National Accord.
On an economic note, Libya ’ s oil resources remain in a state of flux. Whilst the country struggles to ramp up oil exports, the head of the National Oil Corporation announced that the plan is to increase oil production five fold before the end of this year. However, at the same time, two of the country ’ s southern oil fields have been closed as the government has not paid the funds needed to maintain security operations.
Military operations against the Islamic State in Sirte have intensified, in what has been depicted as a final push to liberate the area. The United States has conducted about 100 air strikes against targets inside Sirte during the month of August. The fighting continues to displace a large number of people and strains the capacity of local communities in Tarhuna, Al Jufrah and Bani Waled. IOM Libya is currently assessing the needs of displaced people from Sirte and preparing to facilitate future returns.
In the last week of August, a large number of migrants left the Libyan shore, particularly from Sabratah. Thousands of migrants travelling on the Central Mediterranean Route were rescued by the Italian Coast guard. Whilst around 7,500 migrants, on 30 boats, were rescued by the Sofia Operation in Italian waters, the Libyan Coast Guard rescued, on 30 August, 300 migrants on two boats outside Subratah. In addition, 88 migrants were reportedly rescued by the Libyan Red Crescent in Subratah. So far 10,634 migrants have been rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard this year. The increase in migrant boats leaving the Libyan coast at the end of the month is believed to be influenced by factors including a decrease in security and calmer waters. IOM Libya is working closely with the Libyan Coast Guard to improve the Rescue at Sea operations and provided a three day technical workshop on saving lives at sea in Libya, in coordination with UNHCR, in August (for more details see below).