Overview
- Major General Khaled Al-Sreir of the Libyan National Army said Libya is the first point of contact and offered to intercept, detain and return migrants before departures toward Europe.
- The LNA says it seeks an exchange of expertise instead of money, citing United Nations sanctions that restrict access to surveillance and search-and-rescue equipment.
- Libyan officials claim maritime units intercept multiple vessels during peak periods, with reports of up to eight interdictions in a day.
- The UK Home Office reiterated a pledge to secure borders and reported National Crime Agency arrests of suspected smugglers working with Libyan counterparts, alongside support for IOM return and reintegration programmes.
- Libya’s split governance between Tripoli-based authorities and Haftar-backed eastern forces complicates direct engagement, and no formal bilateral deal has been announced.