Libya’s Black Migrants Face Unprecedented Racist Violence Amid EU-Backed Policies

Libya has always been a dangerous transit point for migrants hoping to reach Europe, but the recent wave of racially driven violence signals a disturbing shift.

Black migrants and refugees in Libya have been the victims of rising racist violence around the nation.

From March 12 to 16, a wave of raids, arrests, and attacks swept through Western Libya, targeting Black folks—including African migrants, refugees, and even Black Libyans and Tunisians. The latest outbreak of violence, amplified by inflammatory rhetoric from government officials, highlights a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Human rights groups and activists on the ground describe a pattern of systematic targeting by militias, security forces, and even civilians. In Sabratha, Janzour, and Tripoli, Black people have been forcibly detained, brutalized, and, in some cases, killed. Firsthand accounts paint a grim picture of a campaign of racial persecution carried out with the tacit approval of Libyan authorities and the silent complicity of the European Union.

A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds

In Sabratha, militia groups and residents raided homes, arresting hundreds and leaving at least one Sudanese refugee dead. Similar actions occurred in Janzour, Al-Serraj, and Ben-Gashir, where migrants were evicted, their belongings destroyed, and landlords threatened against housing them. Witnesses in Tripoli’s districts, including Tajoura and Ghut Shaal, reported mass arrests and violent attacks by EU-trained security forces and militias.

One of the most harrowing incidents involved a pregnant woman from Niger, who was struck and killed by a car in Tarik Al-Madar on March 14. Activists believe the attack was racially motivated.

“Our comrades have documented numerous cases of sexual violence against women, alongside arbitrary arrests and forced expulsions,” said Salahadine Juma, an activist with the Alliance for Refugees in Libya. “The true scale of these atrocities is likely far worse than reported.”

Joint Statement on the Escalation of Hate Speech and Incitement Against Black Communities in Libya. @aoadlibya @AdalaAll @defender_center @AlkaramaHR pic.twitter.com/pQO4LPpbgt
— Refugees In Libya (@RefugeesinLibya) March 13, 2025

From Exploitation to Racial Violence

Libya has always been a dangerous transit point for migrants hoping to reach Europe, but the recent wave of racially driven violence signals a disturbing shift. Historically, migrants have been exploited for forced labor, extorted by militias, and abused by human traffickers. Now, the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) incendiary rhetoric has incited widespread attacks, escalating the violence to genocidal levels.

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and Interior Minister Emad Al-Trabelsi have been accused of fueling this crisis with dehumanizing public statements. Meanwhile, the EU’s financial and logistical support for Libyan authorities—particularly its training of militias like the Department to Combat Illegal Migration (DCIM)—raises troubling questions about Europe’s role in these human rights abuses.

Gaddafi’s Complicated Legacy

Slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi remains a divisive figure in Libya’s political and racial history. To many Libyans, he was a repressive dictator who tolerated no dissent. To the West, he was a dangerous narcissist who posed a constant threat. Yet across much of Africa, Gaddafi was hailed as a hero, often mentioned alongside figures like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Nelson Mandela.

Gaddafi’s Pan-African gestures—funding infrastructure projects, building grand mosques, and showering African leaders with gifts—earned him admiration. But beneath the surface of his largesse lay a deep-seated racism. Public comments and insider accounts reveal his disdain for Black Africans, whom he referred to in derogatory terms.

In 2010, the deceased leader shared his problematic views with Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on upending the immigration problem in Europe, calling Black Africans “barbarians” and “ignorant.”

“Tomorrow Europe might no longer be European, and even Black, as there are millions who want to come in,” Gaddafi was quoted saying. “We don’t know what will happen, what will be the reaction of the white and Christian Europeans faced with this influx of starving and ignorant Africans. We don’t know if Europe will remain an advanced and united continent or if it will be destroyed, as happened with the barbarian invasions.”

The duality tarnished his legacy, showing how he manipulated Pan-African ideals for personal gain.

The EU’s Role in Libya’s Crisis

For years, the European Union has worked closely with Libyan authorities to curb migration into Europe, providing money, equipment, and training to local military personnel and the coast guard. Critics argue that the predatory practice prioritizes Europe’s anti-immigration agenda over the safety of vulnerable migrants.

“The EU’s silence in the face of Libya’s racial violence is deafening,” said Marc Montany of the Alliance with Refugees in Libya. “By continuing to fund and equip these forces, the EU is complicit in crimes against humanity.”

Figures like Nicola Orlando, EU Ambassador to Libya, and Francisco Joaquin Gaztelu Mezquiriz of the European Commission have been called out for enabling atrocities. Activists demand accountability from Libyan and EU officials and urge the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an investigation.

The International Response

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other human rights organizations have been criticized for their slow response to the looming crisis. While Libyan authorities claim adherence to international conventions on racial discrimination, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

“Libya’s repeated denial of racial discrimination is a dangerous lie,” said David Yambio, a migrant advocate. “The international community must act now to protect those at risk and hold perpetrators accountable.”

Calls to Action

Activists and organizations have outlined immediate steps to address the violence:

Libyan Authorities: Stop hate speech and attacks on Black people. Hold perpetrators accountable.
EU Member States: Open humanitarian corridors, cut funding to abusive Libyan forces, and condemn the violence publicly.
ICC: Investigate crimes against humanity in Libya, including the EU’s involvement.
UNHCR: Expand resettlement programs and advocate for migrants’ and refugees’ safety.

A Plea for Solidarity

Despite the relentless attacks, Black migrants and refugees in Libya refuse to be silenced. “We may lack weapons, but we have our voices,” said Juma. “We will not stop speaking out against this genocidal violence.”

The world is watching, but time is running out. Without immediate action, Libya’s Black population faces an increasingly bleak and perilous future.