The International Organization for Migration (IOM) published an official statement on Thursday, announcing 134 Malian migrants stranded in Libya have been voluntarily repatriated.
According to the statement, the migrants were repatriated from Sebha in southern Libya to Bamako, Mali, on May 26 under IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program, which helps irregular migrants return home in safety.
Libya is still a major transit point for migrants trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean, especially after the collapse of the Gaddafi regime in 2011, which plunged the country into prolonged instability.
IOM reported that 9,285 migrants have been intercepted and returned to Libya after unsuccessful attempts to cross the Central Mediterranean route so far in 2025. The organization also recorded 160 deaths and 234 missing people on the same route this year.
The VHR program, launched by IOM in 2015, has facilitated the return of more than 98,000 migrants to countries in Africa and beyond. The agency keeps calling for stronger international support, particularly from the European Union and destination countries, to help manage irregular migration flows originating from Libya.