A French investigation revealed by “Le Monde” yesterday certificates that migrants intercepted by Libyan militias called “Tariq ben Ziyad,” operating outside the jurisdiction of coastal patrols, were transferred in the central Mediterranean. The interception occurred with the support of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, “Frontex,” responsible for facilitating the redirection of irregular migrants based on their point of origin.
According to the French newspaper, the investigation traced the activities of a the fast Libyan boat named “Tariq bin Ziyad,” which regularly intercepted migrant boats in the Mediterranean, within the European Search and Rescue region, supported by Frontex.
The French investigation reported that “Tariq bin Ziyad” was inscribed on the blue structure of the boat, indicating it is a militia intentionally intercepting migrant boats off the coasts of Libya and beyond, in the Maltese region that is supposed to fall under the European Union’s jurisdiction.
The newspaper revealed that the Maltese armed forces and Frontex had provided coordinates of migrant boats seeking to reach Europe to this armed group, leading to the interception of migrants and their forced return to Libya, where they became victims of “ill-treatment,” constituting a “complete violation of international law.”
The investigation further disclosed that the militia had detained hundreds of migrants who had their destination redirected, subjected them to torture, beatings, and some were thrown into port waters, left there for hours to have their skin eaten by salt.
In recent years, Malta, located on a major migration route between North Africa and Europe, has faced criticism from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, and human rights organizations for its methods to prevent migrants from reaching its shores.
Based on accounts from migrants, including Syrians and Lebanese, who embarked on the sea journey towards the southern coasts of Malta or Italy with hopes of joining one of the countries there, the dream of a Lebanese young man named Bassel was shattered in Libya. Using an alias for security reasons, he expressed his optimism at the beginning of the journey, only to find himself in Libya unexpectedly.
Adapted from Le Monde