On Monday, November 6, some 600 Egyptian nationals who were living in Libya illegally waited in line outside the Directorate of Combatting Illegal Migration (DCIM), which is located in Tripoli, to obtain a pass that would allow them to depart the country.
Reuniting migrants and refugees in Libya with their families was the responsibility of UN organisations until recently.
However, deportations were placed under the control of the DCIM, which is connected to the interior ministry of the western government, following a recent agreement between Libya’s two administrations.
The deportation operation was described in full by the DCIM deputy for security affairs.
“A group of illegal Egyptian migrants will be deported from the premises of the Directorate of Combatting Illegal Migration, for having entered illegally the Libyan territory. Today, the number of illegal migrants being deported is around 600 Egyptian nationals.”
Buses carrying the primarily male migrants set off on a 1,375-kilometer journey to the Egyptian crossing point at Esmaed.
For many years, thousands of Egyptians have resided in Libya, where many of them work in the construction and agricultural industries. Some travel across Libya in an effort to get to Europe.
Tens of thousands of migrants use the nation in North Africa as a hub each year to attempt their journey by sea to Europe.
Unverified footage of around a thousand Egyptians being forced to cross the Egyptian border on foot while under military guard was shown in Libyan media in June.
Over 700,000 migrants were on Libyan soil in May and June of this year, according to the UN International Organization for Migration.
