International reports have estimated that there were more than 936,000 refugees and migrants in Libya as of February of this year, with more than half of them geographically concentrated in the western part of the country, while Sudanese nationals constitute the largest community among migrants and refugees.

According to a report issued by the Center for Mixed Migration, affiliated with the Danish Refugee Council, Libya remains the primary departure point for migrants and asylum seekers seeking to reach Europe and Italy via the Mediterranean, despite a decline in the number of migrants departing from there. Sudanese make up the largest proportion of migrants within Libya, at approximately 36 percent.

Libya Remains the Primary Transit Point Despite Declining Numbers

Libya has remained the main departure point for migrants heading to Italy via the Central Mediterranean route, accounting for 83% of total arrivals—11,848 migrants—despite a 56% decline in this figure compared to the same period in 2025.

Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) showed that the number of migrants and refugees in Libya reached 936,134 as of February 2026, a 9% increase compared to the same period last year, with relative stability compared to December 2025.

Geographically, 53% are located in the west of the country, followed by 36% in the east, and 11% in the south. Sudanese constitute the largest community at 36%, followed by Nigeriens at 20%, Egyptians at 19%, Chadians at 9%, and Nigerians at 4%.

As for refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Libya, their number reached 113,026 as of June 1, 2026, a 22% increase compared to last year, with Sudanese making up 83% of the total, as their numbers rose by 41% as a result of the war in Sudan.

Rise in Deaths on Regional Migration Routes

According to the Missing Migrants Project, the Central Mediterranean route recorded the highest number of deaths and missing persons through the end of June, with 865 cases—a 57% increase compared to last year—despite a 52% decline in arrivals in Italy. This indicates that a decrease in the number of arrivals does not necessarily mean a reduction in risks.

Similarly, the organization Caminando Fronteras recorded more than 507 deaths off the Algerian coast along the Western Mediterranean route, a 54% increase.

Meanwhile, the Sahara Phone Alert organization documented the deportation of 14,602 people from Algeria to Niger between January 18 and May 17, 2026, while the Moroccan Association for Human Rights documented the deaths of 26 migrants and refugees in remote border areas in eastern Morocco during the first four months of the year.

Tightening of Surveillance and Deportation Measures

In another development, the report noted an escalation in apprehensions and deportations in western Libya, where security operations in Sabratha targeted irregular migrants—particularly women living in apartment buildings—and a number of them were transferred to detention centers in Tripoli in preparation for deportation. The local council in Al-Dhahra also issued instructions to evict undocumented foreigners from properties, while the municipality of Zuwara imposed a temporary nighttime curfew on foreigners.

At the national level, a series of meetings was held, attended by the Minister of the Interior and security officials, during which they rejected the idea of resettling migrants in Libya, considering it a threat to national security. Meanwhile, authorities in Benghazi emphasized that “Libya is not a stable country, and anyone who enters it without documents will be expelled.”

Libya and Somalia also agreed to strengthen cooperation on repatriation efforts, amid an 181% surge in the number of Somalis transiting through Libya toward Italy, with plans to repatriate approximately 400 Somalis currently residing in Libya.