Libyan authorities have made a grim discovery of nearly 50 bodies in two mass graves in the country's southeastern desert, highlighting the dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe through Libya. The first mass grave, containing 19 bodies, was found on a farm in the city of Kufra. Images posted on social media showed police officers and medics recovering the bodies, which appeared to have been wrapped in blankets. The al-Abreen charity reported that some of the victims had been shot before being buried.
In a separate incident, a second mass grave with at least 30 bodies was uncovered in Kufra during a raid on a human trafficking center. Survivors indicated that around 70 individuals had been buried in the grave. Authorities are continuing their search in the area for more evidence.
Following the discovery, 76 migrants were rescued from the trafficking center, and three suspects - one Libyan and two foreigners - were arrested on charges of detaining and torturing migrants. The suspects have been detained pending further investigation.
Tragically, migrant mass graves are not uncommon in Libya, with a similar discovery of 65 bodies made last year in the Shuayrif region. Libya has become a key transit point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe, with human traffickers taking advantage of the country's instability to exploit vulnerable individuals.
Since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been mired in chaos, with rival governments controlling different parts of the country and militias vying for power. Human traffickers have thrived in this environment, smuggling migrants across borders and subjecting them to horrific abuses, including forced labor, beatings, rapes, and torture.
Migrants intercepted at sea are often packed into overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels for perilous journeys across the Central Mediterranean. Those who are returned to Libya face further abuse in government-run detention centers, where they are subjected to torture, rape, and extortion. Rights groups and UN agencies have long documented the systematic mistreatment of migrants in Libya, calling for urgent action to protect the most vulnerable individuals.
