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TRIPOLI, October 27 (Xinhua) – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday that more than 100 illegal migrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast in the past week.
“In the period from 20 to 26 October, 104 migrants were rescued / intercepted at sea and returned to Libya,” IOM said.
The organization also said 9,955 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued and returned to Libya so far this year, up from 9,225 in 2019.
IOM also said 220 illegal migrants have died and another 287 have disappeared so far on the Central Mediterranean route this year, compared to 270 dead and 992 missing in 2019.
The state of insecurity and chaos in Libya following the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 has encouraged thousands of migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.
IOM has repeatedly stressed that Libya is not a safe landing point.
The agency runs the assisted voluntary return program which organizes the return of illegal migrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin. Enditem
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