According to the Tunisian Red Crescent, 43 refugees drowned off the Tunisian coast near the town of Zarzis on 2 July, when their completely overcrowded boat capsized. Instead, the EU is cooperating closely with the criminal gangs known as the Libyan Coast Guard, notorious for interning, torturing and enslaving refugees. On its way to the refugee boat, the Seabird encountered the Libyan Coast Guard vessel Ras Jadir. When the Seabird spotted the wooden boat with 50 refugees on board, it witnessed a brutal attack by the Libyan Coast Guard. Immediately afterwards, it handed the refugees over to a Libyan Coast Guard vessel, which brought them back to Libya against their will, where they were interned.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 08, 2021 01:18 UTC