EU prepares for migration wave amid Libya crisis

The European Union will be prepared in case of any migration wave from Libya amid crisis in the region, a European Union official said on Jan. 15.

"Being prepared, not acting ad hoc is a very important strands in our thinking for the migration policy," said Dana Spinant, spokeswoman for the European Union Commission, addressing Anadolu Agency's question on the bloc's extra measures on the possible new wave of immigration from Libya.

"Clearly, this will also need to inspire the discussions that we will have on the future, a European Unionropean pact of migration that we are planning to put on the table soon, which we seek to look at migration from a holistic, comprehensive perspective addressing all important issues," she added.

Hundreds are fleeing Libya fighting

Almost 1,000 people trying to flee Libya by boat have been intercepted and returned to the conflict-ravaged country by its coast guard during the first two weeks of the new year, the International Organization for Migration said on Jan. 14.

The IOM said at least 953 migrants, including 136 women and 85 children, were plucked from the Mediterranean Sea and that many were returned to the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

They were picked up by the Libyan coast guard, which is trained and funded by the European Union, and one commercial vessel. All were then taken to detention centers, the agency said in a statement.

The IOM said no migrants were returned to Libya during the same two-week period in 2019, but that 23 bodies were recovered from the sea then.

The organization said migrants with whom its staff spoke mostly blamed fighting in and around Tripoli for the hike in departures for European Unionrope.

"Measures to protect lives and...