Most leave from the stretch of Libyan coast between Tripoli and the Tunisian border to the west. The bodies of those who drown are frequently found washed up on Libyan shores.Last year a record 181,000 asylum-seekers crossed between Libya and Italy. More than 4,500 are known to have died. The deal involves blocking asylum-seekers at sea and sending back to Libya to be held in holding camps. Aid groups criticised the move, saying such plans exposed asylum-seekers to further risks and abuses within Libya.In the absence of an army or a regular police force in Libya, several militias act as coastguards but are often accused themselves of complicity or even involvement in the people-smuggling business.

Source: Libya Today February 21, 2017 15:33 UTC