Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 10,700 sea arrivals in Italy from North Africa. Almost 2,500 refugees were rescued over the past three days, the Italian Coast Guard said Thursday, as this year's arrivals already far outpace the record-setting 2016. Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 10,700 sea arrivals, the Interior Ministry said Thursday, a third higher than the same period last year. Last year a record 181,000 boat refugees reached Italy and more than 5,000 died in the Mediterranean. But humanitarian groups including SOS Mediterranee and MSF have criticized the deal, saying Libya is not safe.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 23, 2017 22:58 UTC