Air strike on detention centre highlights the tragic fate of migrants in Libya

On 3 July, international and national media outlets reported that a Tripoli-based detention centre was hit by an air strike on 2 July, the attack causing up to 40 deaths while some 80 people were injured. The Tajoura Detention Centre is where illegal migrants, originating mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, are held after being arrested by local authorities. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) accused the Libyan National Army (LNA) of carrying out the air strike on the centre, which could be a response to the advances of forces allied with the GNA on Gahryan, a position previously held by LNA forces. This event highlights once more the tragic situation of migrants in Libya. On that note, last May, Abdelsatar Hetieta published with The Investigative Journal a report on the world of migration in Libya untitled “Non-Secure Routes: The Hidden World of Illegal Migration in Libya” which provides an in-depth immersion in the lives of migrants in Libya.Click here to read the report.