TRIPOLI, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Saturday revealed that 154 illegal immigrants have been voluntarily repatriated from Libya to their homeland Ivory Coast.
The IOM said in a statement that it will ensure the needs of 154 people, including 6 children, to be covered before their departure to Ivory Coast.
The anti-illegal immigration department also confirmed that 10 Algerian immigrants have been deported to their home country on Saturday.
More than 10,000 illegal immigrants have been voluntarily repatriated from Libya to their countries of origin since the beginning of this year, as part of IOM's Voluntary Return Program.
Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of illegal immigrants who have been rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services.
Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe due to insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
