Hundreds of Somali migrants stranded in Libya are enduring unimaginable hardships, many now regretting their decision to leave their homeland in search of a better future in Europe.
Fleeing poverty and conflict, these young individuals embarked on a perilous journey, only to find themselves trapped in a nightmare of violence, hunger, and fear.
In cities like Tripoli, many of these migrants have fallen prey to ruthless human traffickers known as “Magafe,” notorious for exploiting those most vulnerable.
Torture, extortion, and starvation are daily occurrences for those under their control.
With their hopes of a better life shattered, many are now desperate to return to Somalia.
One such migrant is Abdirahman Ali Sheikh, currently stranded in Tripoli.
His journey began in March 2024 when he left Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, with dreams of reaching Europe.
“I wish I had never left,” Abdirahman admitted in an interview. “I see now that my home is valuable. There’s no better place than your homeland. What I found here is only suffering.”
Abdirahman, like many others, was deceived by traffickers who promised him a safe passage to Europe but instead delivered him into a system controlled by ruthless gangs.
Captured and held in Libya, he has witnessed horrifying scenes of cruelty.
Libya’s human trafficking network has thrived in the chaos of the country’s instability.
Migrants are detained in terrible conditions, subjected to torture, and often forced to call their families for ransom. If payments are not made, the consequences are fatal.
Abdirahman described the inhumane treatment in the detention centers where Somali, Ethiopian, and other African migrants are held. “It was hell on earth. People were beaten for hours—sometimes they died from the beatings. Others were abandoned in the desert like their lives didn’t matter.”
He witnessed extreme brutality, where traffickers inflicted violence on men, women, and children to extort money from their families. “I saw people lose their lives just because their families couldn’t pay. The suffering was unimaginable.”
Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about these abuses, where migrants are treated as commodities.
Many have been held in captivity for months, if not years, with little hope of freedom.In May 2024, Libyan forces rescued 107 migrants from captivity, but thousands more remain in detention camps, their lives hanging in the balance.
Many Somali migrants are now pleading for help to return home.
The Somali embassy in Libya is working to repatriate those who wish to go back, but the process is slow.
Abdirahman is one of those waiting. “I’ve asked the Somali embassy to help me return. They are trying, but it’s a slow process. I nearly starved here. Now, I see that my home country is rich in ways I didn’t understand.”
The physical and emotional toll of the journey has left many migrants disillusioned. Those who survive the traffickers’ cruelty are left deeply scarred.
Abdirahman now sees the dream of reaching Europe as a dangerous illusion. “I believed Europe would offer a better life, but leaving Somalia was the biggest mistake of my life.
If I had known what awaited me, I would have stayed.”The plight of Somali migrants in Libya is part of a broader crisis across North Africa.
Many people fleeing conflict in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan are trapped in Libya, a country devastated by years of war.
International organizations, including the UN and various NGOs, have condemned the human rights abuses in Libya, but the situation remains dire, with traffickers continuing to operate with impunity.
While some, like Abdirahman, have found temporary safety through embassy support, countless others remain at the mercy of traffickers.
For many, the dream of reaching Europe has turned into a desperate struggle for survival.
Abdirahman’s story is one of endurance, but also serves as a warning to others. “If I could tell anyone thinking of leaving Somalia one thing, it would be to stay. It’s not worth the risk. I wish I had known that before I left.”
