Libya Frees 200 Migrants from Kufra

Libya's security authorities freed over 200 migrants, including women and children from Somalia and Eritrea, from a secret underground prison in Libya — Kufra District. Some migrants had been held captive for up to two years and bore signs of torture. This discovery is described as one of the most serious crimes against humanity in the region. Libya has become a major transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. The country's poor security leaves migrants vulnerable to abuses, as evidenced by previous discoveries of mass graves in Libya — Kufra District and a recent referral of a defendant to court for serious violations against migrants.