Libya Begins Migrant Crackdown: 700 Sudanese Deported Amid Rising Tensions

Libyan authorities have deported 700 Sudanese migrants, part of a broader crackdown on illegal migration. The deportees, some with infectious diseases and others involved in criminal activities, were sent back to Sudan. Libya, a long-time transit hub for migrants aiming for Europe, remains in turmoil due to ongoing factional divides.

In an intensified crackdown on illegal migration, eastern Libyan authorities announced the deportation of 700 Sudanese migrants, returning them to their strife-ridden homeland. The expulsion was confirmed Saturday by officials, targeting individuals from central and southeastern Libya amid ongoing tensions in the region.

The Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration cited numerous reasons for deportation, including infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS, as well as criminal convictions. This campaign is part of a wider effort to disrupt human trafficking operations, orchestrated under the watchful eye of military commander Khalifa Hifter.

Libya has become a critical transit point for migrants escaping war and poverty, particularly from Africa and the Middle East. The country's unstable political climate, deteriorating since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has allowed traffickers to exploit its porous borders with several nations.