Iraqi Embassy in Libya Repatriates 388 Migrants, Pursues Safe Return of Others

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Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, Chargé d’Affaires at the Iraqi Embassy in Libya.

Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, Chargé d’Affaires at the Iraqi Embassy in Libya, said on Friday that the embassy is working to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of Iraqi nationals currently in Libya, noting that 388 Iraqi migrants have already been repatriated.

Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Sahhaf said the embassy had received reports of a number of irregular migrants being present in the Tajoura area, east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. He said high-level coordination was underway with the relevant security authorities of the Government of National Unity in Tripoli to locate the migrants, ensure their protection and complete the necessary procedures for their voluntary return to Iraq.

He explained that the area where the migrants are believed to be located is a vast agricultural region overlooking the sea, which has been exploited by human smuggling and trafficking networks to lure and detain migrants.

Al-Sahhaf underscored the embassy’s efforts, saying it had succeeded in repatriating 388 migrants in recent months despite the complex circumstances surrounding the voluntary return process.

He added that Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), through the Region’s Ministries of Interior and Foreign Relations, continue to coordinate with the embassy to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of migrants. This includes providing travel tickets and arranging reception procedures at Erbil International Airport.

Al-Sahhaf also renewed his warning to families against dealing with human smuggling and trafficking networks, stressing that such networks pose a direct threat to the safety and security of young migrants and could expose them to serious legal consequences from the authorities in Tripoli.

“We are acting out of a strong commitment to fulfilling our diplomatic duties through established channels, alongside humanitarian efforts driven by a deep sense of responsibility to reassure their families,” he said.


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