Libyan navy rescue 292 illegal migrants off western Libya coast

The Libyan navy forces of the UN-backed Government of Accordance Accords announced Wednesday that they had rescued 292 illegal migrants off the coast of the western city of Zawia.

The naval forces said in a statement released Wednesday that a patrol of the coast guards have rescued 292 illegal migrants in Monday including 42 women and ten children, adding that the migrants were aboard three rubber boats.

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According to the statement, the migrants were mainly from Africa while some of them were from Syria and one Libyan.

The Libyan navy explained in its statement that the migrants were taken to the Tajoura shelter centre, east of the capital Tripoli after providing them with the necessary humanitarian and medical assistance.

African migrants have been using Libya as a gateway to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe.