Libyan
IOM: More than 240 illegal immigrants rescued off Libyan coast
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said, on Monday, that more than 240 illegal immigrants were rescued off the Libyan coast in the past week. “On July 13-20, 243 migrants were intercepted at sea and returned to Libya,’’ the IOM said. IOM mentioned that a total of 6,119 illegal immigrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya since 2020, while 9,225 illegal immigrants were rescued and returned to Libya last year. Among those rescued off the coast and returned to Libya this year were 453 women and 327 miners, IOM added. The state of insecurity and chaos in Libya makes the country a preferred point of departure for thousands of illegal immigrants who wanted to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards Europe. Immigrant shelters in Libya are overcrowded with im...
Turkey and Russia put off talks expected to tackle Libya and Syria
Russia and Turkey have postponed ministerial-level talks which were expected to focus on Libya and Syria, where the two countries support opposing sides in long-standing conflicts. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov decided to put off the talks during a phone call on Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. “The two countries deputy ministers will continue contacts and talks in the period ahead. Minister-level talks will be held at a later date,” the ministry said in a statement. Lavrov and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had been set to visit Istanbul for the discussions. The Russian foreign ministry said discussion will be held on the date of the ministers’ meeting. The United Nations said this week that warring sides had begun ne...
US: Malta seizes $1 billion in counterfeit Libyan money
Maltese authorities have seized counterfeit Libyan money worth $1.1 billion that was printed by a Russian firm and worsen the north African country’s economic problems, the US State Department said. There was no official statement on Saturday from Valletta although Malta Today newspaper had published a report about $1.1 billion in counterfeit money seized in Malta on its Facebook site that was no longer available. “The United States commends the Government of the Republic of Malta’s announcement May 26 of its seizure of $1.1 billion of counterfeit Libyan currency printed by Joint Stock Company Goznak – a Russian state-owned company – and ordered by an illegitimate parallel entity,” the State Department said. “The Central Bank of Libya headquartered in Tripoli is Libya’s only legitimate cen...
