Libya’s internal security agency has shut down 10 international organisations operating in the country, including the International Aid Organisation, accusing them of “settling illegal immigrants” without authorisation.
According to an official statement monitored by the Libyan Express, the organisations provided financial aid, food, sanitary materials, clothing and medicines to migrants through projects coordinated with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The security agency claims that these activities were carried out without the knowledge and official authorisation of the Libyan authorities.
Libyan authorities allege that the organisations facilitated the resettlement of irregular migrants through their humanitarian assistance programmes, acting outside the required legal framework.
The statement did not specify which organisations other than Relief International were affected, nor did it specify whether the closure was temporary or permanent.
The crackdown comes amid Libya’s broader efforts to tighten controls on migration activity within its borders, including recent agreements with international partners such as Italy to strengthen security measures to manage migration.
Libya has long served as a key transit country for migrants trying to reach Europe, and numerous international organizations have implemented humanitarian programmes to address the needs of vulnerable migrant populations in the country.
