TRIPOLI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Joint Security Chamber of the city of Zliten, some 150 km east of the capital Tripoli, on Wednesday arrested 125 illegal African immigrants before they crossed the sea to Europe, Libyan news agency reported.
"The arrested migrants include 104 men and 21 women from Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Comoros," the agency quoted a source as saying.
"The arrested migrants were fully ready to depart. The location where they were staying was raided on Tuesday evening. We transferred all of them to the Zliten illegal immigration center to take necessary legal measures," the source added.
Due to the insecurity and chaos that followed the 2011 uprising, Libya became a hotspot for migrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores, many of whom drown on the way.
Libyan navy announced earlier this week that 31 migrants drowned off western Libyan coast while attempting to reach Europe. Enditem
