Libyan authorities have dismantled a human trafficking network operating in the country’s southwest, the Attorney General’s office announced on its Facebook page Saturday. The operation resulted in the arrest of one of the network’s leaders and 10 other members.
The suspects face charges of murder, illegal detention, torture, and rape of migrants. According to the official statement, the investigation documented violations affecting 1,300 migrants, including cases of forced detention, torture, and extortion for their release.
This crackdown occurs against the backdrop of Libya’s ongoing instability following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that led to the overthrow and killing of leader Muammar Gaddafi. The country has since been divided between two competing governments backed by various militias. The chaos has also allowed extremist groups, including ISIS, to gain a foothold in the North African state.
The breakdown in law and order has enabled people smugglers to operate with impunity in Libya. Since 2014, these criminal networks have facilitated dangerous sea crossings for hundreds of thousands of migrants to Europe, primarily to Italy. Thousands have died during these perilous voyages across the Mediterranean.
