Abdel-Rahman Milad, also known as “Bija,” was a former leader of Libya’s coastguard who was accused by the UN of running a trafficking organisation. He was shot dead in Tripoli, leading to the detention of militia leader Mohamed Bahroun and one of his associates in connection to the killing. Milad, one of the country’s most-wanted traffickers, was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council and had previously been imprisoned in Libya on trafficking charges. Allegations have surfaced that Milad was involved in sinking migrant boats using firearms. He was arrested in 2019 after being located at a meeting in Sicily attended by Italian officials and a Libyan coastguard delegation.
The meeting was organized to discuss controlling migration from Italy to Libya, following a controversial deal signed in 2017 between the Italian interior minister and Libya’s then-government. The deal involved Italy providing funds and equipment to Libya to intercept migrant boats at sea and return them to Libya. There were speculations that Italian authorities were aware of the presence of human traffickers in the Libyan coastguard, as Milad had previously threatened to expose secrets between human traffickers and Libyan authorities. Despite consistently denying any links to human trafficking, Milad was arrested in 2020, released in 2021, and promoted from a captain to a major.
The European Union has partnered with Libya’s coast guard to stop crossings, but rights groups have criticized this strategy, stating that it often puts migrants at the mercy of armed groups or confines them in migrant detention centers with rights abuses. Anas El Gomati from the Sadeq Institute alleged that some migrants returned by the Libyan coast guard and placed in detention camps have to pay money to secure their release. Libya is a major route for migration from Africa and the Middle East to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, often on unsafe boats. In recent events, the Libyan coast guard intercepted a boat with 64 migrants bound for Europe after another boat carrying 32 capsized off Libya’s eastern town of Tobruk, leaving 22 missing.
Overall, Abdel-Rahman Milad’s death highlights the issue of human trafficking and migration in Libya. The detention of militia leader Mohamed Bahroun and his associate in relation to the killing of Milad shows some progress in holding those responsible for human trafficking accountable. The partnership between the European Union and Libya’s coast guard aims to prevent migrant crossings but has faced criticism for potentially enabling human traffickers. The situation in Libya remains complex, with many vulnerable migrants facing risks and abuses along their journey. The international community continues to monitor the situation and urge Libyan authorities to take action against human trafficking and rights abuses in the country.
