23. Dezember 2014 · Kommentare deaktiviert für Libyen: Lager – 300 SenegalesInnen in Geiselhaft · Kategorien: Libyen · Tags: , ,

Africa Review

300 Senegalese hostages cry for help from Libya

By TAMBA JEAN-MATTHEW in Dakar

A group of 300 illegal Senegalese migrants are appealing to the government to help rescue them from armed Libyan militia holding them hostage in the North African country.

The incident was brought to light when one of the Senegalese youths managed to escape captivity and contacted a relative in France by telephone.

Media reports in Senegal on Monday quoted Mr Samba Kanté, the contact person in France, explaining that the youths (both men and women) were aged between 16 and 30.

Mr Kanté quoted the escapee explaining that almost all of the hostages were from southern and eastern Senegal.

Their parents had paid their fares to join other illegal Senegalese migrants who succeeded in reaching Europe via Lampedusa in Italy.

Upon arrival in Libya, they contacted the Somali middlemen whose business is to organise the crossing of migrants in makeshift boats to Europe for a fee.

Mr Kanté reported that it was at the moment when the ill-fated migrants were about to depart the shores of Libya that armed militia emerged and took them hostage. They are reportedly being held at several points in Tripoli and Misrata.

At the beginning, the militia had demanded that each migrant pay a ransom of $300 for their release but they failed to pay the amount.

Since the fall of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the country has become the most popular route used by illegal migrants from Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to reach Europe.

Meanwhile, the International Office of Migration (IOM) in its latest report indicated that about 5,000 migrants died this year alone while travelling to seek asylum in Europe.

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