Fleeing war, violence and economic hardship, migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea have one aim: Europe or die.
Following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been sporting a rambunctious new democracy that split the country into two warring governments, with militias running large and the rule of law having no real meaning.
In this vacuum, Libya, just a few hundred miles away from the promised shores of Europe, has quickly become a major trafficking hub for those fleeing violence in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and the African continent.
With the official government helpless to control the human trafficking trade, the situation has become so extreme that the European Union has threatened to bomb Libya’s coastline to target the smuggling networks. As a consequence, militias have been contracted to shore up security.
Europe or Die: Libya’s Migrant Trade is a Vice News documentary that traces the journeys made by refugees on their way from the hell of war.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.
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