A total of 4,129 illegal migrants, comprising 293 women and 215 children, have been rescued and returned to Libya so far in this year, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has said.
The IOM said on Monday that 73 migrants died and 159 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route so far this year.
Due to the insecurity and chaos in the North African nation, following the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe.
Many illegal migrants were either rescued at sea or arrested by the authorities and detained inside overcrowded reception centres in Lybia.
The agency said total of 11,891 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya in 2020. It added that 381 migrants died and 597 went missing on the Central Mediterranean route during the year.
