15 bodies of suspected illegal migrants found on Libyan beach

The Libyan Red Crescent Society volunteers have discovered 15 bodies on a beach near the city of Sabratha in the North African country with some of them burnt on Friday.

The human rights group said the bodies could not be identified, adding that the victims were suspected to be illegal migrants.

In a statement, Red Crescent said its volunteers who were notified by authorities after a beach goer noticed a body went there, recovered the bodies and took them to the city morgue.

“Some were found inside a burned-out boat while others were nearby,” it said.

A report said the latest discovery was the fallout of a dispute between human traffickers that led to them opening fire on a group of migrants.

According to the report, one of the groups involved set fire to the boat on Friday.

READ ALSO: Two Egyptian migrants dead, 19 missing in boat mishap

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement that the western city of Sabratha which is 300 kilometres from the Italian island of Lampedusa was a key trafficking route.

“Migrants often face horrific treatment at the hands of smuggling gangs and armed groups operating under state auspices often torturing and abusing them whenever they are apprehended.

“At least 216 people have died attempting the crossing and 724 are missing and presumed dead,” IOM said.

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