Libya expels 600 Nigeriens in dangerous journey across the Sahara

Libya has forcibly expelled over 600 Nigeriens in what is believed to be its largest deportation to date, according to the Guardian. The migrants, transported across the Sahara in a convoy of trucks, endured a “dangerous and traumatising” journey, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The migrants, rounded up over the past month, arrived in Dirkou, Niger, last weekend. Humanitarian groups criticized the conditions, with the charity Alarm Phone Sahara calling it a new escalation. “Winter in the desert is harsh, and these journeys are perilous,” said Azizou Chehou from the charity.

The expulsions come amid EU-backed efforts to curb Mediterranean crossings. Critics accuse the EU of “outsourcing cruelty” to Libya, where rights abuses are widespread. Italian deals with Libya and Tunisia have reduced migrant arrivals, with Italy reporting 66,317 arrivals in 2024, down from 2023. 

Libya’s actions reportedly reflect longstanding practices of targeting foreign workers, particularly sub-Saharan Africans, amidst a backdrop of systemic migrant exploitation and demonization in the North African country.