7 Kurds held in Libya after failed attempt to reach Europe

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Libyan authorities have been holding seven Kurds from the Kurdistan Region for two months after they unsuccessfully attempted to reach Europe through the African country, a Kurdish lawmaker in Baghdad told Rudaw on Wednesday.

“I will visit those youths today. We will provide them with everything they need and take the necessary steps to resolve their situation and repatriate them in the coming days,” Muthana Amin, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, quoted Iraq’s ambassador to Libya, Ahmad al-Sahaf, as saying.

Six of the detainees are from Kurdistan Region’s eastern Raparin administration, and the other is from Erbil province.

Karwan Majid, the brother of one of the detainees, Daban Majid, told Rudaw that the group left Erbil International Airport on April 23, flying to Egypt and then Libya “in order to migrate to Europe from there.” He added that ”they went missing” the following day, and later Daban contacted the family, saying they had been arrested in Libya.

In late March, another group of seven Kurds - who were also detained - were repatriated from Libya after being detained while trying to reach Europe.

Libya remains a major transit country for migrants due to its strategic location and proximity to Italy. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that around 719,000 migrants were registered in Libya in 2024.

Crossing the Mediterranean is one of the deadliest migrant routes. According to the IOM, more than 31,700 people have died or gone missing at sea since 2014.

Thousands of Kurds attempt the perilous journey to Europe each year, with many passing through Libya.


Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report.