Hundreds of migrants rescued from illegal detention sites in eastern Libya are receiving urgent assistance from the UN Migration Agency (IOM) after enduring appalling conditions and torture.
Last week, 195 migrants were freed from a shuttered camp in Ajdabiya, where 21 bodies were also recovered. In Kufra, authorities uncovered an underground detention site three meters deep, releasing 221 migrants, including women, children, and a one-month-old baby. At least ten survivors required immediate hospital care.
IOM’s Chief of Mission, Nicoletta Giordano, warned these cases reveal the deadly risks migrants face at the hands of criminal networks. Teams are providing medical screenings, hospital referrals, and warm clothing while urging stronger protection systems and accountability for traffickers.
In a wider humanitarian context, UNHCR’s 2025 report shows global displacement rising due to ongoing crises: conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, Colombia, South Sudan, and mass movements of Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan. Nearly 52 million people are expected to face displacement pressures in 2026.
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