Smugglers kill 22 African migrants on Libya beach

Smugglers have killed 22 African migrants on a beach in western Libya, a security source said Wednesday.

The migrants were set to embark from Sabrata beach , 70 kilometres (45 miles ) west of Tripoli , in a perilous attempt to
cross the Mediterranean , the source said.

They were killed after refusing to board their boat due to bad weather , the source added .
The Libyan Red Crescent confirmed the killings had taken place over the weekend, but was unable to provide
further details.

The Geneva - based International Organization for Migration said Tuesday
it had heard reports of the deaths.

“ There seems to have been an exchange of fire between the smugglers , which resulted in the death of 22 migrants,” it
said.

Six years since a revolution and NATO intervention that toppled the regime of dictator Moamer Kadhafi , Libya has become a key departure point for
clandestine migration to Europe .

Smugglers organise frequent crossings from western Libya to the Italian island of Lampedusa, a 300 - kilometre (190 - mile ) trip .

The IOM said 521 immigrants died in the Mediterranean from January 1 to March 5 , 2017.

Another 20, 000 were able to reach the European coasts during the same period.