Tripoli, Dec 6 (IANS): The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that 633 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya and sent back to the North African country over the past week.

"In the period of November 27 to December 3, 633 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya," Xinhua news agency quoted the IOM as saying in a statement on Monday.

So far in 2022, a total of 21,457 migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya, including 1,089 women and 678 children, the UN body said.

Also, a total of 517 illegal migrants died and 830 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route so far this year, IOM added.

In 2021, a total of 32,425 undocumented migrants were rescued and returned to Libya.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for irregular migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.