The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has raised alarm over the extreme dangers faced by migrants and refugees in Libya following the discovery of two mass graves in the country’s eastern desert.
William Spindler during a news conference in Geneva calle for urgent international action to protect migrants and dismantle human trafficking networks in Libya.
He noted that the tragic discovery highlights the horrific risks that refugees and migrants encounter on their journeys
The graves, uncovered during raids on human trafficking sites in Jikharra and Al-Kufra, contained the bodies of at least 47 people, with reports suggesting one grave may hold up to 70 victims.
Authorities also revealed that many refugees and migrants had been held captive, tortured, and later released by traffickers before the mass graves were found. The recent discovery follows the rescue of 259 refugees and migrants from a trafficking site in Jikharra on January 29.