Libyan authorities raided a hidden underground prison in Kufra and freed 221 migrants who endured up to two years of captivity.
Security forces stormed the clandestine facility on January 18, 2026, uncovering cells buried nearly three meters underground.
The trafficker, identified as Libyan, allegedly ran the site where men, women, and children—mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, including Somalia and Eritrea—languished in overcrowding, starvation, and untreated illnesses.
Officials transferred more than 10 critically ill survivors to hospitals for immediate care.
Witnesses described the migrants’ dire state: severe malnutrition, skin infections, anemia, and general weakness from prolonged abuse and neglect.
The raid exposed one of many trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable people crossing Libya toward Europe.
Armed groups and smugglers often detain migrants for ransom, torture, or forced labor in remote desert areas like Kufra.
Authorities have not yet detained the suspected trafficker, though investigations continue.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed the rescue and highlighted the persistent dangers migrants face in Libya.
This operation brings relief to 221 survivors, yet it underscores the urgent need for stronger protections along migration routes through conflict-torn Libya.
