On Thursday, while presiding over the UN Security Council Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano stressed the need for increased security measures on the Libyan border. Alfano stated that “the fight against terrorism remains a strategic priority” and that “enforcing control” of the border is “crucial”. He added that ISIS fighters …
Read More »EU Should Carefully Consider Training Libyan Forces, Says German Group
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) On Tuesday, German humanitarian group Sea-Watch requested the European Union to refrain from offering Libyan forces training on how to operate rescue missions. The request from the German group came after individuals on board a boat with “Libyan Coast Guard” labeled on its side attacked …
Read More »Mass Migration to Europe From Libya Continues Despite Dropping Temperatures
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) The Italian coast guard coordinated several rescue efforts saving close to 1,400 refugees crossing the Mediterranean from the Libyan coast. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, posted on Twitter that 802 refugees on board six dinghies and a wooden boat were …
Read More »Libyan Patrols Turn Back Thousands of Refugees
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Within the last two days, 1,425 refugees crossing the Mediterranean to Europe were stopped by Libyan patrols, said naval spokesperson Ayoub Qassem on Friday. Qassem said that close to 1050 refugees were found on seven boats and were all sent back on Wednesday. Many of …
Read More »6,500 Refugees Rescued
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) On Tuesday, the Italian coastguard said that close to 3,000 migrants and refugees were saved in 30 different rescue missions in the Strait of Sicily on Tuesday. In the last two days, close to 10,000 lives were saved by rescue missions on the Mediterranean Sea. …
Read More »Spanish NGO Rescues 700 Refugees Off the Coast of Sabratha
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) On Sunday, around 1,100 refugees were rescued on the Mediterranean Sea off the shores of Libya. 11 rescue missions were launched on Sunday to save refugees aboard eight rubber dinghies, one large boat, and two punts, said the Italian Coast Guard. Proactiva Open Arms, a …
Read More »Amnesty Says Britain “Complacent” in its Response to Refugee Crisis
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Britian’s Home Affairs Committee published a report on Wednesday that suggested to the European Union to create an agreement with Libya that will reduce the number of refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Amnesty International said it is not possible for Europe to work with …
Read More »41 Bodies Found on Libyan Shore
(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) On Saturday 41 bodies, thought to be refugees, were found by volunteers on shores of Sabratha, a coastal city in Libya. The volunteers received training provided by the city council to spot human trafficking victims in mid-July. “We think that these are people who drowned …
Read More »Hundreds feared dead in migrant shipwreck off Libya
(Republished from the Guardian) Hundreds of people are feared to have drowned in the southern Mediterranean last week, in what would be the deadliest migrant shipwreck in months. A repurposed fishing boat overloaded by smugglers with up to 500 Africans hoping to reach Italy from eastern Libya sunk as passengers …
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