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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Libya's Coast Guard Intercepts 57 Europe-Bound Migrants

A member of the Libyan Coast Guard uses a pair of binoculars as he searches for migrants off the coast of Tripoli, Libya, August 9, 2017. (Reuters)

Libya's coast guard said it intercepted 57 Europe-bound migrants off the country's Mediterranean coast.

Spokesman Ayoub Gassim revealed that a wooden boat carrying 53 Ethiopian migrants, including 17 women and nine children, and four Egyptian migrants was stopped on Saturday off the coastal town of Zawiya.

The town is about 48 kilometers, or 30 miles, west of the capital, Tripoli.

He said the migrants were given humanitarian and medical assistance before being taken to a detention center in Zawiya, reported The Associated Press.

Libya's coast guard said it has intercepted 577 migrants at sea so far in August.

Libya slid into chaos after the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time ruler Moammar al-Gaddafi.

It has emerged as a major transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East to Europe.

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