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Libya: army releases 120 migrants held hostage

2021-03-10T21:58:53.085Z


A Libyan army unit announced the release on Wednesday of 120 migrants, mostly from Egypt, who were being held hostage in western Libya by traffickers and smugglers. Read also: 147 migrants rescued off Libya by the NGO Sea-Watch "Our forces succeeded this morning at dawn in freeing (...) 120 hostages who were held in Bani Walid, most of Egyptian nationality, after the assault on the dens of human


A Libyan army unit announced the release on Wednesday of 120 migrants, mostly from Egypt, who were being held hostage in western Libya by traffickers and smugglers.

Read also: 147 migrants rescued off Libya by the NGO Sea-Watch

"Our forces succeeded this morning at dawn in freeing (...) 120 hostages who were held in Bani Walid, most of Egyptian nationality, after the assault on the dens of human traffickers"

, indicated the 444th Combat Brigade, an elite unit of the armed forces of western Libya, in a statement.

They were victims of

"acts of torture and extortion"

by their jailers, added this source, citing testimonies of freed migrants.

This unit has already carried out a large operation last week against smugglers in Bani Walid, a migrant smuggling hub located at the gates of the Libyan desert, 170 km south-east of Tripoli.

Six hiding places were discovered on Friday: 70 migrants of different nationalities were released that day.

"One of the most notorious traffickers in the country was apprehended as well as other foreign criminals who kidnapped, killed and tortured their victims"

, then indicated the 444th Brigade.

The chaos that followed the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011 made Libya a preferred route for tens of thousands of migrants seeking to reach Europe.

Many find themselves stranded in Libya, in deplorable conditions, at the mercy of smugglers and traffickers.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-03-10

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