December 30, Nairobi — Sudanese refugees continue to attempt crossing crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe, a report released by the United Nations said on Monday.
Sudanese nationals are the the third-highest nationality among those rescued or intercepted, with a total of 1,752 individuals as of Dec. 21. In total, there has been a 38 percent increase of those intercepted or rescued this year. Those intercepted are then detained in Libyan detention centers are allegedly “often quickly released.”
Libya is one of the main disembarkation points for boats making the Mediterranean Sea crossing. Many people seeking safety on European shores often have to wait in Libya for months or even years, saving up money to buy a boat ticket or trapped in arbitrary detention.
In February, a boat with 42 Sudanese passengers sank off Tunisia. Two were rescued, and the others were reported dead or missing. Tunisia is another main departure country for boats heading for Italy. In 2023, according to the UNHCR, 84 per cent of the Sudanese who crossed the Mediterranean to Italy embarked in Tunisia.
In July, Doctors Without Borders said that in Calais, northern France, at least 60 percent of asylum seekers in the town’s camps were Sudanese. Many had fled the war.