Migrants detained for up to seven months in a compound in the Libyan town of Al Kufra have been freed, a spokesperson for the Libyan Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Walid Alorafi, told the news agency Reuters. The migrants expressed wishes to go to Europe, he said.

"We raided a hideout in the downtown of Kufra last night and we found illegal migrants including women, children and old men. Some have marks of torture and bullets," Alorafi said.

Many in the group are reportedly from Somalia, he said.

"The migrants have all been handed over to the illegal migration agency for completion of some procedures," Alorafi said.

Video posted of the raid to X

A video posted on the social media platform X by the account Migrant Rescue Watch purported to show Libyan officials sweeping the compound to rescue the migrants. The video, posted on May 6, bore the stamp of the Libyan police.

InfoMigrants has not been able to verify the owner of the account, which often posts material purporting to be from the Libyan authorities, including photos of Libyan coast guard "rescues" and raids around the country.

Also read: Libya, at least 65 migrants found in mass grave

In the unverified video, most of the migrants were sitting on the floor while one man communicated with the Libyan authorities and was asked questions. Footage was shot of empty rooms with clothes strewn around.

Alorafi confirmed that "some migrants’ health condition is very poor," reported Reuters.

Detention in Libya

The town of Al Kufra is located some 1,700 kilometers from the Libyan capital Tripoli.

It is not unusual for migrants in the country to be held in compounds, 'safe houses' and detention centers for months at a time before their smugglers allow them to travel to Europe.

Many migrants who have made the journey across the Mediterranean report being detained in Libya several times, and often extorted for money. Migrants have spoken of being held in overcrowded facilities for weeks, months and even years, where many say they suffered violence and torture.

Some of the facilities are run by traffickers. Others have purported links to some members of the authorities. Many reports from NGOs and international organization -- including the UN -- allege that some Libyan authorities detain migrants, extort them for money and organize eventual passage towards Europe.

UN: Reports 'reveal shocking treatment of migrants in arbitrary detention'

In mid-2023, the UN estimated that Libya was home to just over 700,000 migrants from over 43 nationalities. The organization has repeatedly called for the protection of and help for migrants in Libya.

Also read: Nearly 100 migrants transferred from Libyan detention centers to Rome

In a briefing to the Security Council in May, UN Special Envoy Abdullah Bathily said recent reports from Sabha, a town in south-central Libya and a known hub of trafficking gangs in the country, "revealed shocking treatment of migrants in arbitrary detention, underscoring the urgent need for action by Libyan authorities to ease human suffering."

Returned to Libya

Since the beginning of 2024, some 5,200 people have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, according to IOM Libya.

Reports suggest that many of those returned end up being detained or held by smuggling gangs before attempting to make further crossings if they can raise enough funds to buy themselves out of detention.

Meloni in Libya

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni landed in Libya on Tuesday to meet with representatives of the Libyan Government of National Unity.

They plan to discuss "university cooperation, research, health, sport and young people in the framework of the Mattei Plan for Africa," reported Italian news outlets Agenzia Nova and ANSA.

Italy is also keen to discuss energy, supporting the political process in Libya towards holding free and fair elections in the country and managing "irregular migration."

Successive Italian governments have spearheaded the EU’s relations with North African countries like Libya in terms of both development and investing in migration management.

Meloni’s Mattei Plan was announced at the end of 2023 and sets out to forge closer ties with African countries to promote development and investment and help manage migration.

With Reuters, ANSA and Agenzia Nova