Tripoli, Oct 13 (IANS): The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that a total of 9,839 illegal immigrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast so far in 2020.
The rescued include 671 women and 532 children, Xinhua news agency quoted the IOM as saying on Monday.
The organization also said that 199 migrants died and 275 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route so far this year.
Because of the state of insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime, Libya became a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants who want to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe.
Thousands of illegal immigrants, either rescued at sea or arrested by the authorities, remain detained inside reception centres in Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those them.