At least seven Sudanese migrants were found dead on Friday after being stranded for days in Libya’s desert when their vehicle broke down, according to an official from the Kufra Ambulance and Emergency Services.
The vehicle, carrying 34 Sudanese nationals, had crossed from Chad into Libya along a remote smuggling route when it failed. After 11 days without food or water, the group was discovered among the sand dunes.
“The survivors were barely alive—severely dehydrated and traumatized after watching others die around them,” said director Ebrahim Belhassan. Twenty-two people, including five children, were rescued and taken to Kufra for medical treatment. Five others remain missing, with little hope of survival.
The group was located after a smuggler who found them alerted emergency services. Libya, a major migration hub due to its location, continues to see large numbers of people transiting through its territory in hopes of reaching Europe. The International Organization for Migration reported nearly 787,000 migrants in Libya as of 2024. Belhassan added that his team responded to over 260 emergencies involving Sudanese migrants in the desert last year alone.
