Tripoli, Feb 6, 2019 (AFP) – More than 16,000 migrants returned home from conflict-wracked Libya in 2018 under a “voluntary return” programme run by the International Organization for Migration, the agency said Wednesday. “16,753 irregular migrants were able to return to their countries of origin last year,” programme coordinator Jomaa Ben Hassan told AFP. The migrants were from 32 countries in Africa and Asia, Ben Hassan added, saying the statistics did not include migrants whose cases were being handled by the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR. In a brief statement earlier this week, UNHCR said 56,000 refugees were waiting for their chance to leave Libya. International organisations including UNHCR regularly denounce the mistreatment of migrants in Libya.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 06, 2019 15:56 UTC