Libyan security services arrested around 1,500 undocumented foreign workers near the capital, Tripoli, on Saturday, in an effort to curb illegal immigration, according to authorities.
The police operation took place in the early morning in al-Sabaa, a suburb of Tripoli, under the direct supervision of Labour Minister Ali al-Abed, with labour inspectors, the illegal immigration authority, and police present.
Minister al-Abed stated that inspections led to the discovery of residences housing undocumented foreign workers from various nationalities without residency permits, official passports, or health booklets.
Hundreds of foreigners, mainly Egyptians, but also individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa, have been living in a camp surrounded by walls and secured with a large gate for years.
Approximately 1,500 foreigners reside in this camp, according to the minister. They will be transferred to centres under the Authority for Combating Illegal Immigration, with judicial proceedings initiated prior to potential deportation to their respective countries.
Earlier this month, Libya revealed a plan to address illegal immigration during a meeting with European representatives. An estimated 3 to 4 million undocumented migrants are in Libya, about 300 kilometres from the Italian coast.
People smugglers have exploited the instability in Libya since the fall of dictator Gaddafi in 2011 to establish clandestine networks. The country remains divided between two rival governments: the UN-recognised administration in Tripoli and the eastern government in Benghazi, supported by Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
