Migrants in Libya face “extreme vulnerability,” warns IOM

Saturday 25 October 2025 - 07:30

By: Sahili Aya

Migrants in Libya face “extreme vulnerability,” warns IOM

In North Africa, Libya remains the country where migrants face the most severe challenges, warned the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Friday, as the ongoing conflict in Sudan drives a massive influx of refugees into the region.

“We regularly receive testimonies from migrants who have been kidnapped, held for ransom, or subjected to violence and abuse,” said Amy Pope, the IOM’s Director General, during an interview with AFP in Rabat. She described their situation as one of “extreme vulnerability.”

According to Libyan authorities, between three and four million foreign nationals currently reside in the country illegally. Smugglers and traffickers have taken advantage of Libya’s ongoing instability since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 to expand clandestine migration networks.

The majority of deaths recorded in the Mediterranean involve people departing from Libyan shores, Pope noted, citing several recent shipwrecks. Increasingly, migrants transiting through Libya in hopes of reaching Europe come from Asia, particularly Bangladesh and Pakistan, traveling overland through the Gulf region.

The IOM has also observed rising arrivals from Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan, where a brutal war between the national army and paramilitary forces has displaced millions since April 2023. More than 357,000 Sudanese refugees have entered Libya since then, according to UNHCR data from August 2025, further straining already limited resources.

“The conflict continues to cause mass displacement,” Pope said, adding that the situation is worsened by decreasing humanitarian aid and funding in neighboring host countries like Chad and Egypt, following recent UN budget cuts.

While some Sudanese refugees have been able to return home, notably to Khartoum, where security has slightly improved, Pope stressed that returning to Darfur remains impossible due to ongoing human rights abuses.

Another hotspot in North Africa is Tunisia, particularly Sfax, where thousands of migrants are living in makeshift camps. “The number of people there far exceeds available assistance capacities,” Pope said.

“Many migrants who reach Sfax have already exhausted most of their resources,” she added, emphasizing the vital role of the IOM in supporting voluntary returns.

Overall, despite mounting migratory pressure, Pope lamented that most regional responses remain security-driven. She called for comprehensive solutions based on South-South cooperation, sustainable development, and safe, legal migration channels.