International Organization for Migration: The discovery of the bodies of immigrants in the Libyan desert

This came in a statement today, Monday, after 19 bodies were discovered in the Ajdar area – about 400 km south of Benghazi – and at least 30 other bodies in a mass grave in the infidel desert in the southeast of the country, which may contain up to 70 body.

The organization confirmed that the conditions of their deaths and nationalities are still unknown. She said that the two cemeteries discovered during a police raid in which hundreds of migrants were rescued. She added that the security forces continue their operations to arrest the perpetrators.

The head of the International Organization for Migration Organization in Libya, Nicoleetta Giodrano, said that a very large number of immigrants are exposed during these trips. “For extreme exploitation, violence and abuse, which emphasizes the need to give priority to human rights and protect those at risk.”

The organization recognized the efforts of the Libyan authorities to investigate and urge them, along with the United Nations partner agencies, to ensure that the bodies of the deceased immigrants are recovered and their identities and their transportation in dignity, with the notification and assistance of their families.

According to the missing migrant project of the International Organization for Migration, out of 965 deaths and disappearances recorded in Libya in 2024, more than 22 percent of them occurred on land roads. This highlights the risks faced by immigrants on wild roads that are often overlooked, as deaths are not reported frequently. She stressed that enhancing data collection, search and rescue efforts and mechanisms for protecting migrants along these roads is very important to prevent more loss of life.

The organization said that it continues to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants at risk in Libya, and is working to enhance the ability of the relevant authorities to conduct search and rescue operations in the desert and at sea, including training in human rights obligations and ensuring that the border administration is compatible with international law, while following an approach It focuses on protection to help the most at risk.

The International Organization for Migration urged all governments and authorities along the way to enhance regional cooperation to protect migrants, regardless of their status, at all stages of their trips.