Turkey assisted Libya rescue 123 migrants: Sources

By Mucahit Aydemir

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) - At least 123 irregular migrants were recently rescued off the coast of Libya's capital Tripoli by the joint efforts of the Turkish military and Libyan Coast Guard, military sources said on Sunday.

While on a mission north of Libya, the Turkish Navy vessel TCG Gaziantep received a call for help from a rubber boat carrying the irregular migrants nearly 129 kilometers (80 miles) off Tripoli on Thursday.

After the Turkish Mission Group Command conveyed the necessary information on the boat to local authorities, the 123 irregular migrants were rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard.

Under a 2019 military and security cooperation agreement between Turkey and Libya, the mission group command has been providing training and consultancy support to the Libyan military and helping the Libyan Coast Guard with humanitarian efforts.

In recent years, Libya has become a crucial point for African irregular migrants trying to get to Europe to flee poverty and conflicts in their countries.

*Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara