Eastern Libya bans citizens from four African countries

Benghazi, Libya – The administration governing eastern Libya has announced a ban on citizens from four African countries, stating that this measure is part of the "reorganization of foreign citizens entering Libya."

A decree issued by the administration based in the city of Benghazi stated that citizens from Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia are banned from entering Libyan territory, using all land, sea, and air ports.

The administration led by Osama Hamad, who is the military commander Khalifa Haftar, governs the east and parts of southern Libya, while the internationally recognized government led by Abdulhamid Dbeibah is based in the capital Tripoli.

Sources within the eastern administration have indicated that this decision aims to control and "reorganize" the flow of foreign migrants entering the country.

The decree exempts members of the diplomatic corps, consulate staff, and their families from the ban, and also allows education, health, and essential service workers if they have official permits and valid work agreements.

Libya has long been a key route for migrants seeking to reach Europe since the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi regime in 2011 following a NATO-backed uprising. The country has been in political division and insecurity since 2014.

According to the United Nations, Libya is home to more than 900,000 migrants, whose living conditions are exacerbated by the ongoing conflicts and political situation in the country.

On the other hand, Libya is also facing humanitarian disasters related to migration. At least 26 people have been confirmed dead off the eastern Libyan coast after a boat they were on capsized last week.

In recent days, 11 additional bodies have been found off the coast of Tobruk, bringing the total death toll to 26. 10 others were rescued, who reported that at least 61 people were on the boat.

Officials fear that more people may still be missing at sea, as rescue operations continue, while new patrols have been increased along the coast of Tobruk to prevent more bodies from surfacing.

Medical sources have reported that the condition of the bodies found was very poor, as they had been in the water for a long time, and it was said that they were buried quickly.

Overall, Libya remains a dangerous route used by many migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who attempt to reach Europe by crossing the desert and the Mediterranean Sea, journeys that often end in disaster and death.