TRIPOLI, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya on Thursday said that 171 Nigerian illegal immigrants were deported to their home country, as part of the organization's voluntary return program.
"The 171 Nigerian migrants have returned home with UN migration's first voluntary humanitarian return assistance flight from Zintan, Libya," IOM said.
Immigration reception centers in Libya are overcrowded with illegal immigrants. The Libyan authorities called on international organizations for more support and assistance to improve the living conditions of the centers.
IOM's voluntary return program provides opportunity for stranded immigrants in Libya to return to their countries of origin. The program helped 20,000 illegal immigrants in Libya return to their home countries last year.
Moreover, the anti-illegal immigration department of Tripoli on Thursday said that 15 Moroccan migrants were deported by air from the capital Tripoli to Morocco.
The department said the deportation of Moroccan migrants will continue daily until Saturday.
Dozens of illegal Moroccan immigrants started hunger strike in an immigration reception center in Tripoli in May to protest their delayed repatriation by their country's authorities.
