Egyptian citizen brutally murdered in Libya

(Baonghean.vn) - At least 12 illegal migrants from Egypt were killed in clashes with human trafficking gangs in neighboring Libya, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on April 27.

Saloum port on the Egypt-Libya border. Photo: Reuters.

According to the ministry's statement, the incident occurred in the town of Bani Walid, a transit point for migrants from the north to the Libyan capital Tripoli.

The Egyptian Embassy in Libya, which is currently based in Egypt due to the unstable security situation in Libya, has contacted the authorities in Bani Walid and the Presidential Council in Tripoli to identify the victims and repatriate their bodies.

Mr. Zeid also reiterated the warning about "the dangers of illegal entry into Libya and involvement in activities that could threaten the lives of Egyptian citizens."
Meanwhile, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced that the number of people killed in clashes that occurred on April 23 and 24 included 12 Egyptian citizens and 3 Libyan citizens, but did not give details.

In a statement, the UN Special Envoy for Libya, Martin Kobler, condemned the brutal murder and called on authorities to investigate and prevent similar incidents.
Cairo authorities have warned people against crossing the Libyan border, but the Arab neighbour remains a popular destination for thousands of Egyptian workers, mainly in the construction sector, due to the country's economic difficulties.

IS executed 20 Egyptian Christian hostages near the city of Sirte, northern Libya in February 2015. Photo: Reuters.

In mid-January, 20 Egyptian citizens were captured by Libyan rebels, but were later released. Previously, in February 2015, the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) posted a video showing the execution of 20 Egyptian Christian hostages near the city of Sirte, northern Libya.
Libya has long been a transit point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe, with Italy only about 300 km from Libya's Mediterranean coast. Traffickers have taken advantage of the instability in Libya following the overthrow of the regime of leader Mummar Gaddhafi to increase illegal migrant smuggling activities. An estimated 350,000 people have boarded boats from Libya to Italy since 2014./.

Lan Ha

(According to Ahram)