European Union border agency, frontexAnd malt they share their coordinates “systematically” refugee boats coming out Libya on a boat operated by a Russia-linked militia, according to a journalistic investigation conducted by Lighthouse Reports and attended by many international media. The testimonies they were able to obtain report that they were victims of ill-treatment, torture and forced labor after they were stopped by the criminal organisation’s boat.
This modus operandi What the investigation revealed is that Frontex or the Maltese authorities sent the coordinates of the boats to this criminal group in various ways: as a distress alarm that all ships in the area could hear; through indirect communication Tripoli or directly with the Libyan authorities, as one Maltese pilot demonstrated. In all these cases they state: There were safer options to continue the rescue, such as commercial or NGO vessels or directly from sea rescue operations of Italy or Malta.
According to this Nora Markardexpert at her topic international right Frontex, interviewed by the journalists conducting the investigation, should have ensured that someone else took over the rescue after the distress call. He also states: “Frontex is aware of this situation This is more a case of kidnapping than ransom.”. They point out that the name of the militia operating the boat where they stopped the boats is Tariq Bin Zeyad and that they are “one of the most dangerous groups in the world.” It is led by his son Saddam Haftar. Khalifa HaftarDictator who controls eastern Libya and has the support of Russian mercenaries. Wagner.
Since May, this Libyan militia ship has been captured more than 1,000 people They were people trying to reach Europe. After being captured, they are extradited to Libya. “We told them to leave us alone, that we had children and women on the ship. But they accused us of possessing weapons and drugs. They shot at our boat”explains one of the testimonies collected by Lighthouse Reports. On the return journey, especially on land, refugees are subjected to all kinds of ill-treatment and are confined to militia-controlled settlements. In some statements, it was also stated that they were victims. slavery: “They sold us to businessmen so that we could work for free.”
Libya has become a fragmented country controlled by different militias vying for power. It is an uncertain and swampy road that has been going on since 2011, when the regime came to power. Muammar Gaddafi and civil war broke out. This North African country is one of the main points where migrants or refugees try to reach Europe. So far in 2023, 15,000 people Those who left Libya by boat captured and came back According to IOM (International Organization for Migration) data, 1,500 people in the country were children or women. Also until November 947 people died There are 1,256 casualties on the Central Mediterranean route.