More migrant graves discovered in Libya

Libyan authorities have recovered at least 11 more migrant bodies in Kufra, Reuters reports citing a security official. The discovery brings the total found in the region to 39, after 28 bodies were found in the same region. Many bodies showed gunshot wounds, according to the International Organization for Migration. Authorities expect to uncover more graves as recovery efforts continue. 

Kufra, a key hub in Libya’s southeastern desert, serves as a major crossing point for migrants traveling north toward the Mediterranean. Many face extreme dangers along the journey, including violence and exploitation by traffickers. Security forces and the Libyan Red Crescent are collecting DNA samples and marking graves under prosecutor supervision.

Libya remains central to the Mediterranean migration crisis, with traffickers exploiting ongoing instability since Muammar Gaddafi’s 2011 ousting. Earlier this month, authorities also uncovered a mass grave with 19 bodies in Jikharra and recovered 10 more off Zawiya’s coast after a shipwreck, underscoring the peril migrants face in the region.