Eastern Libya bans entry for Somalis, three other African nationalities

Thursday June 25, 2026

Stranded migrants returned to Somalia land in Aden Abdulle International Airport. Photo: © IOM 2024/Ismail Salad

Benghazi, Libya (HOL) — Authorities in eastern Libya have banned citizens of Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia from entering areas under their control, a move likely aimed at curbing migration through the country toward Europe.

The ban, announced late Tuesday, prohibits citizens of the four countries from entering Libyan territory through land, sea or air ports controlled by the eastern-based administration.

The statement said exemptions would apply to diplomats and workers in the health and education sectors.

Libya remains a major transit route for migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe through the Central Mediterranean. Many are packed by smugglers into overcrowded and unsafe boats, with thousands dying during the dangerous sea crossing.

The new restrictions come amid rising tensions in both eastern and western Libya over the presence and possible resettlement of refugees and migrants from other countries.

Human rights groups have reported mass crackdowns on migrants in recent months, with thousands arrested. Amnesty International has said migrants and refugees have faced growing pressure and detention across Libya.

The United Nations says more than 900,000 migrants and refugees are in Libya, with Sudanese nationals forming the largest group.

Many migrants attempting to reach Europe are intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, where they are often held in government-run detention centers. U.N.-commissioned investigators have said abuses in those centers, including forced labor, beatings, rape and torture, may amount to crimes against humanity.

Libya has been divided since the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The country is split between rival administrations, one based in the west and another in the east.

Somali migrants have long used Libya as a key transit hub for attempts to reach Europe. Thousands have become stranded in the country, where they face risks including trafficking, extortion, forced detention and abuse.

In recent years, thousands of Somali migrants stranded in Libya have been returned home through repatriation efforts supported by the Federal Government of Somalia, the European Union and the International Organization for Migration.

The returns have been carried out under IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return program, which is funded by the European Union and supports migrants who choose to return to their countries of origin.