Al-Kufra Municipality spokesman Abdullah Suleiman said that the number of documented Sudanese refugees reached 40,000, in addition to those who enter Libya and are not registered.
Suleiman added in a statement to Reuters that the humanitarian conditions experienced by Sudanese refugees are extremely difficult, pointing to the lack and weakness of support from both local and international organizations.
Meanwhile, the head of the relations unit at the Anti Illegal Immigration Authority in Tobruk, Miftah Al-Sharawi, said that the movement of Sudanese refugees entering through Egyptian territory was almost non-existent in the past but it increased during the recent period.
Al-Sharawi attributed this to reasons including "Egypt's economic situation and the financial situation of the Sudanese, which has deteriorated due to the long duration of the war in their country, as most of them have immigrated to Libyan territory because they can no longer afford the expenses of living in Egypt."
Al-Sharawi estimated in a statement to Reuters the number of refugees arriving in Libya between March and late August 2024 at about 2000, most of them families and have asylum cards.
Although Libya is a major starting point for illegal immigration to Europe, Al-Sharawi explained that the percentage of Sudanese willing to embark on this risky journey is almost negligible.
"They have no ambition to immigrate to Europe. For them, Libya is like Europe. They are fleeing wars and see Libya as a welcoming environment for them, where they can live and work without the language barrier." He added.
He also said that the Anti Immigration Authority is coordinating with the relevant authorities in the city of Emssaed to gather Sudanese refugees and send them to its shelters and provide them with food and treatment to keep them away from the path of human traffickers. He said that the Authority is also coordinating efforts with the Sudanese community to provide housing for families so that they are not exploited by human traffickers.
