Authorities in eastern Libya have banned citizens of four African countries from entering territory under their control, in a move that tightens restrictions along key migration routes toward Europe.
The order, issued on Tuesday by the administration based in Benghazi, applies to nationals of Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia and prohibits entry through all land, sea and air ports.
Libya remains split between rival authorities, with the eastern-based administration aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar controlling large parts of the east, while the internationally recognised government of Abdulhamid Dbeibah operates from the capital, Tripoli.
"Citizens of Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are prohibited from entering Libyan territory through all land, sea, and air ports,” the decree reads, according to Reuters.
The order does not apply to diplomats, consular officials and their families, or to foreign workers in education and healthcare workers who have valid contracts and necessary approvals to be in the country.
Libya has long functioned as a major transit hub for migrants and refugees attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea, with the country’s northern coast serving as a key departure point for smugglers’ boats. Many of those journeys are dangerous, with frequent shipwrecks reported along the route.
Last week, at least 15 migrants, including a child, died after a boat believed to be carrying dozens capsized off Libya’s eastern Mediterranean coast, according to local security and medical sources.
Search teams recovered bodies at several locations along the coast near Tobruk, close to the Egyptian border, with officials warning the death toll could rise as recovery efforts continue.
On Tuesday, Libyan authorities said they had recovered 11 additional bodies believed to be linked to the same shipwreck. The vessel is believed to have been ferrying about 61 people, based on testimony from 10 survivors who made it ashore.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), at least 765 people have died on the route this year, an increase of 150 per cent since 2025.
“These tragedies show, once again, that far too many people are still risking their lives on dangerous routes,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a past statement.
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