The Kurdistan Regional Government says return arrangements are complete for 11 men held in Libya, and they are expected to arrive in the coming days. The Iraqi Embassy had separately reported procedures for nine migrants; officials have not explained the difference. The search continues for 10 citizens from Raparin whose whereabouts are unknown.
As of October 5, 2026, the 11 young men were still in Libya. The Kurdistan Regional Government says it has completed the procedures to bring them back to the Kurdistan Region, and their arrival was expected in the coming days. They were not home yet. The KRG is also searching for 10 other missing citizens.
The unresolved cases involve citizens from the Raparin Independent Administration. The KRG says its Ministry of Interior and Department of Foreign Relations are working with the Iraqi Embassy in Libya and KRG representatives to find them and establish their situation. The search continues.
In an announcement on October 5, the KRG said the operation followed a direct instruction from Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to find the missing citizens, secure their release and arrange their return. The KRG return arrangements said some of the men had spent nearly eight months in prison under extremely difficult conditions. They faced a constant risk of death.
The two accounts give different numbers. On October 4, Iraqi chargé d'affaires in Libya Ahmed al-Sahaf said the embassy had located nine Iraqi Kurdish migrants and started voluntary return procedures. The embassy reported medical checks, contact with families and temporary travel documents to help them return, according to Rudaw English. The next day, the KRG reported arrangements for 11 men. Officials have not publicly explained the difference.
Al-Sahaf said the migrants had entered Libya irregularly. The embassy described consular steps to identify and assist the nine people. The KRG's wider count covers 11 men whose return arrangements were complete. Neither announcement confirms that all 11 have left Libya or reached the Kurdistan Region.
The Raparin administration's migration and crisis response directorate has reported more than 500 migrants from the Kurdistan Region repatriated from Libya. That figure includes 33 young Kurdish migrants who returned in September 2026. These numbers give context to the current operation, but they do not answer what happened to the 10 people still missing.
Libya has also seen other migration-related activity, including discussions on inspection systems and training covered in border-screening talks. The KRG's announcement focuses on the immediate risks faced by the young men and the ongoing search for the other 10.
The KRG did not say where or when the men were detained. It also did not describe the circumstances of their imprisonment. The government warned young people and their families against irregular journeys. It cited risks including death, serious physical danger, detention and prosecution under the laws of countries along the route.
For the families of the 11 men, the completed paperwork is a step toward reunion, but their return was still pending on October 5. The 10 others remain unaccounted for. The outcome depends on completing the return already arranged and on whether coordination between the KRG and Iraqi diplomatic authorities can locate those still missing.
