Nearly 10,000 illegal immigrants voluntarily repatriated from Libya in 2019: IOM

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday said that almost 10,000 illegal immigrants have been voluntarily returned from Libya to their countries of origins in 2019.

"The 2019 Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) assistance to almost 10,000 migrants in Libya was made possible by the support of the EU and the Italian Government," IOM said.

"The year 2019 ended, but our work to facilitate the Voluntary Humanitarian Return of migrants from Libya will continue," IOM added.

Thousands of immigrants, mostly Africans, have attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe from Libya because of the insecurity and chaos in the North African country since the 2011 uprising that toppled the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

The Voluntary Humanitarian Return program is carried out by the IOM to arrange the return of illegal migrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin.

Many migrants are detained in reception centers in Libya despite international calls for closing those centers.