UNHCR deports 330 migrants from Libya

TRIPOLI, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- UNHCR on Tuesday said that 330 illegal immigrants have been deported from Libya to Niger and Italy.

"Last week, 160 refugees have been deported to Niger and 170 others to Italy, in order to resettle them in other countries," Roberto Mignone, UNHCR representative in Libya, said in a press conference in the Libya capital Tripoli.

"Altogether 44,306 refugees and asylum seekers have been registered in Libya," said Mignone, revealing that 1,024 migrants have been released from detention centers in Libya.

"We are working to put an end to the detention of migrants and asylum seekers in Libya. We call for finding alternatives for detention. We are seeking to find permanent solutions, such as resettlement and voluntary return to countries of origin," Mignone said.

He also said that the UNHCR is planning to repatriate 1,000 migrants from Libya by January and deport 5,000 to 10,000 others in 2018.

"The illegal immigrants targeted for the repatriation plan are from seven countries: Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia," Mignone revealed.

Libya is a major departure point for illegal immigrants wanting to cross the sea towards European shores, due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation. Enditem