Photos: Libyan coastguards rescue over 1000 African migrants including women and children

The spokesman for the Libyan Navy,
Ayoub Qasim, said the Libyan coastguards rescued more than 1200 illegal immigrants off Sabratha shores in a week. He explained that the Libyan coastguards intercepted four dinghies, on board of which, there were 431 illegal migrants off Sabratha shores last Thursday.

 “They also intercepted 700 migrants on January 27 aboard three boats in the same area, while they rescued 150 today in western Tripoli.” Qasim added on Sunday.

He said that the migrants were mostly from African countries, including Nigeria and there were many women and children among them.

He also explained that the smugglers fired at the coastguards to discourage them from intercepting the migrants, but the coastguards opened fire back until the smugglers disappeared.