800 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast last week

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that more than 800 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya in the past week, reported Xinhua.

"In the period of August 1-8, as many as 864 migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea and returned to Libya," IOM said.

So far in 2021, a total of 20,257 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while 380 died and 629 went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to IOM.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

Rescued migrants end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers.