At least three Somali migrants tragically lost their lives in September and October while being held in warehouses and homes operated by human traffickers in Libya, according to human rights activist Tariq Lamloum. Lamloum shared the grim news in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, exposing the brutal conditions migrants face while in captivity.
The activist revealed that the families of the victims were contacted by kidnapping gangs based in the city of Bani Walid.
The families were sent disturbing videos showing their loved ones being tortured, further emphasizing the inhumane treatment migrants endure.
“It is clear from the clips they’ve received that the migrants are being held inside homes,” Lamloum said.
He pointed out that since 2019, there has been an alarming rise in the detention of migrants in urban areas. This shift followed tighter security measures against traffickers in desert regions, with authorities dismantling trafficking hubs in places like Kufra, Shuwayrif, and Tobruk.
Lamloum urged local authorities and community leaders in Libyan cities to take stronger action to locate and rescue those held by traffickers. He stressed that “every region knows its people who are involved in such gangs and human trafficking.”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has previously reported 5,000 migrants held in official detention centres across Libya.
Still, Lamloum and other rights advocates warn that the true number of those detained in the country, particularly in unofficial and hidden locations, is likely much higher. Antonio Vitorino, the IOM’s Director General, has underscored that these figures only scratch the surface of the broader migrant crisis in Libya.
