By Matik Kueth
At least seven Sudanese migrants have died after their vehicle broke down in the Libyan desert, leaving them stranded for nearly two weeks without food or water, according to Ebrahim Belhassan, the Director of the Kufra Ambulance and Emergency Services.
The group of 34 migrants crossed from Chad into Libya and traveled along a remote desert route commonly used by smugglers when their vehicle failed.
After being stranded for 11 days in the harsh desert conditions, the migrants were discovered among the dunes.
The survivors, 22 people, including five children, were found in critical condition, severely dehydrated and emotionally traumatized after witnessing the deaths of their companions.
“The survivors were on the brink of death. They had no food or water, and were deeply distressed, knowing others had died around them and unsure if they would be next,” Belhassan said.
The rescued individuals were transported to the southeastern Libyan city of Kufra for urgent medical care. Five people remain unaccounted for, and authorities fear they are unlikely to survive in the vast, unforgiving desert.
A smuggler who encountered the group alerted emergency services, enabling the rescue operation, Belhassan added.
Libya, bordered by six nations and boasting an extensive Mediterranean coastline, has become a key transit hub for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East in search of better lives in Europe.
As of 2024, the International Organization for Migration estimates that around 787,000 migrants and refugees reside in Libya.
Belhassan noted that in the past year alone, his ambulance service responded to over 260 incidents involving Sudanese migrants stranded in the desert.