IOM says helps over 11,000 migrants in Libya return home so far this year

TRIPOLI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Wednesday that it has helped more than 11,000 migrants in Libya voluntarily return to their countries of origin so far this year.
“VHR (Voluntary Humanitarian Return) is a vital part of IOM’s mission to ensure safe, humane, and dignified returns, offering essential support to migrants who wish to return home,” IOM said in a statement.
On Monday, 144 migrants voluntarily returned to Bangladesh onboard an IOM-facilitated flight, IOM said, adding that they will receive reintegration support to rebuild their lives upon arrival in Dhaka.
The VHR program, run by IOM, arranges the return of migrants stranded in Libya to their homeland.
Since the downfall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a preferred departure point for some African migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. ■