Libyan authorities deported more than 150 Nigerian women and children on Tuesday under a United Nations-affiliated "voluntary return" scheme designed for irregular migrants. According to Libyan immigration official Mohamad Baredaa, the deportees were all Nigerian women accompanied by children.
The deportation included 160 women and 17 children, who were primarily dressed in black tracksuits. They gathered in a waiting room at a Tripoli detention center before being transported by bus to Mitiga airport for repatriation. Additional repatriation flights were scheduled this week to carry groups of migrants from Bangladesh, Gambia, and Mali.
Libya, a major transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe, has struggled with the aftermath of the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew dictator Moamer Kadhafi. The resulting instability created a breeding ground for human traffickers, and the country is now home to over 700,000 migrants, with some estimates suggesting the actual number could exceed four million.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been involved in repatriating migrants from Libya, while the Libyan government has sought to limit the country's role as a transit hub for illegal immigration.
