12,338 migrants intercepted at sea and returned to Libya up to 12 July: IOM
Of this total, 10,653 were men, 1,136 were women and 404 were children (145 with had no gender data). There were 317 deaths and 286 reported missing.
These are migrants, mostly sub-Saharan Africans, who had set off from the Libyan coast heading for the southern Mediterranean shores. This is mostly the Italian southern coast and more often than not the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa. The shortest distance between the Libyan coast and Lampedusa is 300 km – a fact that migrants know and exploit.
2024
In comparison, in 2024, 21,762 were intercepted and returned to Libya with 665 deaths and 1,034 reported as missing.
2023
In 2023, the IOM reported, 17,190 were intercepted and returned to Libya and there were 962 deaths and 1,536 reported as missing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Gunmen kidnap more than 50 people in north-west Nigeria
Gunmen kidnapped more than 50 people in north-west Nigeria in a mass abduction, according to a private conflict monitoring report created for the UN and seen by AFP on Sunday. 'Armed bandits' targeted the village of Sabon Garin Damri in Zamfara state Friday, the report said, the latest attack in a region where residents in rural hinterlands have long suffered from gangs who kidnap for ransom, loot villages and demand taxes. The report said this was the first 'mass capture' incident in the Bakura local government area this year. 'The recent trend of mass captures in Zamfara has been concerning,' it added, noting 'a shift in bandit strategy toward more large-scale attacks in northern Zamfara'. A Zamfara police spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Nigeria's 'banditry' crisis originated in conflict over land and water rights between herders and farmers but has morphed into organised crime, with gangs preying on rural communities that have long had little or no government presence. The conflict is worsening a malnutrition crisis in the north-west as attacks drive people away from their farms, in a situation that has been complicated by climate breakdown and western aid cuts. Last month, bandits in Zamfara killed 33 people they had kidnapped in February despite receiving a $33,700 (£25,000) ransom, while three babies died in captivity, local people said. Since 2011, as arms trafficking increased and the wider Sahel fell into turmoil, organised armed gangs formed in north-west Nigeria, with cattle rustling and kidnapping becoming huge moneymakers in the largely impoverished countryside. Groups also levy taxes on farmers and artisanal miners. Violence has spread in recent years from the north-west into north-central Nigeria. Two weeks ago, Nigerian troops killed at least 95 members of an armed gang in a shootout and airstrikes in the north-west state of Niger. But the military is overstretched. While improved cooperation between the army and air force has aided the fight, analysts say, airstrikes have also killed hundreds of civilians over the years. Bandits, who are primarily motivated by money, have also increased their cooperation with Nigeria's jihadist groups, who are waging a separate, 16-year-old armed insurrection in the north-east. The recent emergence of the Lakurawa jihadist group in the north-west has worsened violence in the region. Governments of affected states have been forced to recruit anti-jihadist militias fighting the militants in the north-east to assist in countering the bandits.
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
Welsh Labour MP Chris Bryant says he was sexually abused by theatre boss as a teenager
Welsh Labour MP Chris Bryant says he was sexually abused by theatre boss as a teenager The Labour minister said he was left feeling like a '16-year-old whore' by Michael Croft, the head of the prestigious National Youth Theatre Labour Minister Chris Bryant has recounted how he was sexually abused by the disgraced founder of the National Youth Theatre (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images) Sir Chris Bryant has revealed he was sexually abused as a teenager by the founder of the National Youth Theatre, Michael Croft. The Labour minister became emotional during an interview, describing how he felt like a "16-year-old whore" due to the actions of Mr Croft, who was at the helm of the esteemed drama group. In a conversation with the Sunday Times, Sir Chris Bryant recounted that Mr Croft, who died in 1986, would invite him for dinner every evening when he was part of the company in London during the summer of 1978, at the age of 16. One night, said Sir Chris, he returned from the toilet at Mr Croft's residence to find his host, who was four decades older than him, naked apart from a silk robe. The minster said the abuse left him feeling like a "16-year-old whore" (Image: PA) The MP for Rhondda and Ogmore disclosed that Mr Croft then propositioned him for sex, and he felt he had no choice but to comply, reports the Mirror. Ahead of the launch of his book 'A Life And A Half: The Unexpected Making Of A Politician', Sir Chris admitted: "I don't like telling this very much because I've not told it very often. "It was always the same Italian in King's Cross. He would eat and drink, I would eat, then he would theoretically give me a lift home, except I always ended up at his house." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Sir Chris stated that Mr Croft never made another advance towards him, and they remained friends. As an ordained minister, he even agreed to officiate Mr Croft's funeral. However, he expressed anger over the abuse of power and confessed to internalising the shame. "He behaved absolutely appallingly, it's despicable," Sir Chris said. "Michael, in my case, managed to spot somebody who was gay at a time when nearly all homosexuality was illegal - certainly very frowned on - so presumed that people would keep a secret." He revealed that at least one colleague from his National Youth Theatre days was also abused by Mr Croft. The 63-year-old also disclosed he had been sexually assaulted by five male MPs during his time in Westminster, though he has not identified or reported them. "There was no system for doing so and I was frightened it would make me look bad," he explained. He noted that homophobia in Parliament had decreased during his 24 years as an MP. A statement on the National Youth Theatre website said: "We are grateful to Chris Bryant for disclosing to our team the historical abuse he suffered in the company in the 1970s. We are very sorry that this happened to him and to others who have previously shared with us their accounts of historic abuse by the same perpetrator. "As we set out in a public statement on the case in 2017, we stand in solidarity with all victims of abuse and encourage anyone who has experienced abuse, no matter how long ago, to speak to someone and access support. "In this case the perpetrator has been deceased since 1986, but all reports made to us will be dealt with in accordance with our robust and formalised safeguarding policy and practice. "While Chris writes he doesn't feel damaged by what happened, we recognise that being subjected to an abuse of power can have lasting consequences for many, in different ways. "Anyone getting in touch will be listened to and treated with care and respect by trained professionals, in line with our certified trauma-informed practice. "We are grateful to Chris for his support of our organisation today, and acknowledgement of how different a charity we are in 2025 to the one he encountered in the 1970s, with thorough safeguarding practices and policies in place." Article continues below
ITV News
4 hours ago
- ITV News
Labour MP Chris Bryant says he was sexually abused by National Youth Theatre founder
Welsh Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant has revealed that he was sexually abused as a teenager by the founder of the National Youth Theatre, Sir Chris said Michael Croft, who died in 1986, had invited him to dinner every evening while he was attending the drama group in London during the summer of 1978. Sir Chris was 16 at the time and Croft was 40 years older. The MP described the incident, saying while at Croft's house one evening he came back from the toilet to find his host naked except for a silk robe. Sir Chris said Croft then asked him for oral sex, and he felt no option but to go through with it. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Sir Chris said: 'I don't like telling this very much because I've not told it very often. 'It was always the same Italian in King's Cross. He would eat and drink, I would eat, then he would theoretically give me a lift home, except I always ended up at his house.' Sir Chris said Croft never made an advance towards him again, with the pair remaining friends. An ordained minister, he agreed to conduct Croft's funeral. 'He behaved absolutely appallingly, it's despicable,' Sir Chris added. 'Michael, in my case, managed to spot somebody who was gay at a time when nearly all homosexuality was illegal – certainly very frowned on – so presumed that people would keep a secret.' He said at least one other friend was also abused by Croft during his National Youth Theatre days. The 63-year-old also said he has been sexually assaulted by five male MPs during his time in Westminster, although he has not named or reported them. 'There was no system for doing so and I was frightened it would make me look bad,' he said, adding he felt homophobia in Parliament has declined during his 24 years as an MP. In a statement, the National Youth Theatre said: 'We are grateful to Chris Bryant for disclosing to our team the historical abuse he suffered in the company in the 1970s. We are very sorry that this happened to him and to others who have previously shared with us their accounts of historic abuse by the same perpetrator. 'As we set out in a public statement on the case in 2017, we stand in solidarity with all victims of abuse and encourage anyone who has experienced abuse, no matter how long ago, to speak to someone and access support. 'In this case the perpetrator has been deceased since 1986, but all reports made to us will be dealt with in accordance with our robust and formalised safeguarding policy and practice. 'While Chris writes he doesn't feel damaged by what happened, we recognise that being subjected to an abuse of power can have lasting consequences for many, in different ways. 'Anyone getting in touch will be listened to and treated with care and respect by trained professionals, in line with our certified trauma-informed practice. 'We are grateful to Chris for his support of our organisation today, and acknowledgement of how different a charity we are in 2025 to the one he encountered in the 1970s, with thorough safeguarding practices and policies in place.'
