At a Glance

• Iraq has voluntarily repatriated 388 citizens from Libya since the beginning of 2026.
• Iraqi authorities received information about migrants in the Tajoura area east of Tripoli.
• All 388 returnees were residents of the Slemani Governorate.
• Iraqi and Kurdistan Region authorities are continuing efforts to facilitate further returns.

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Speaking to Channel8, Ahmed al-Sahhaf, Chargé d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Libya, stated that Iraq has repatriated 388 citizens from Libya since the beginning of the year. Iraqi authorities are also working to locate migrants reportedly held in the Tajoura area east of Tripoli.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Migrant Location: “We have received information claiming that a number of illegal migrants are located east of Tripoli in the Tajoura area.” — Ahmed al-Sahhaf, Chargé d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Libya.
• Repatriation Efforts: “Since the beginning of this year, we have managed to voluntarily return 388 Iraqi citizens from Libya.” — Ahmed al-Sahhaf.
• Return Support: “We have coordinated with the security forces to locate them, ensure their protection, and subsequently return them to Iraq.” — Ahmed al-Sahhaf.

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Al-Sahhaf said that the area where the migrants are is a large agricultural region along the Mediterranean coast and is used by smugglers to detain migrants.

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kurdistan Region’s Department of Foreign Relations are continuing efforts to encourage migrants to return voluntarily. The authorities are also providing return tickets and arranging for the migrants to be received at Erbil Airport.

Al-Sahhaf warned parents against sending their children to Libya through illegal routes. He said smuggling and human trafficking networks pose a direct threat to the safety and security of young people.

FYI

Libya has surged as a critical transit hub for irregular migration toward Europe, serving as an alternative path after traditional corridors via Turkey and Tunisia severely tightened visa policies and deportations.

Iraqi and Kurdish youth, predominantly from the Slemani Governorate, are increasingly targeted by human trafficking networks that fly them into North Africa before moving them overland toward coastal choke points like Tajoura and Zawiya near Tripoli. Stranded migrants regularly encounter horrific extortion, militia abuse, and harsh conditions inside overcrowded Libyan detention facilities.

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