The Libyan Government Bans Citizens from Four African Countries from Entering

The Libyan Government Bans Citizens from Four African Countries from Entering

The government based in eastern Libya has issued a new order prohibiting citizens of Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia from entering the country, according to the news agency Reuters.

A report cited by Reuters from government sources stated that this decision aims "to control the entry of foreigners into Libya."

The order issued by the Libyan government based in the city of Benghazi, which is the second largest city in the country, stated that "citizens of Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia are prohibited from entering Libyan territory using all land, sea, and air routes."

However, the order exempts members of embassies and consulates and their families, as well as staff working in education and health, provided they present a work contract and legal permit issued by the relevant authorities.

The Benghazi government led by Osama Hammad is allied with military commander Khalifa Haftar, who controls eastern Libya and large parts of the south of the country.

On the other hand, the internationally recognized government led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, which took power in 2021, is based in the capital Tripoli.

The four countries in the Horn of Africa mentioned in this ban are the origins of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their countries due to political instability and security, wars, oppression, and economic poverty.

In particular, the bloody conflict in Sudan, the political and security turmoil in Ethiopia, the political oppression in Eritrea, and the instability in Somalia are pushing many citizens to embark on dangerous migration journeys across the Sahara Desert to reach Libya.

Since the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a key transit point for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe, due to the absence of a strong central government. However, the journey to Europe is not easy.

Migrants from the Horn of Africa, upon reaching Libya, often fall into the hands of smuggling gangs, where they face abduction, torture, sexual abuse, and forced labor.

Most are held in detention centers under extremely poor humanitarian conditions and are forced to pay ransom money while threatening their families.