International Organization for Migration recorded 3,789 deaths last year along land and sea routes in the MENA region – an 11 percent surge from 2021. Last year was one of the deadliest for migrants using travel routes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with nearly 3,800 deaths reported. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 3,789 deaths in 2022 along sea and land routes in the MENA region, including crossings in the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea. “This alarming death toll on migration routes within and from the MENA region demands immediate attention and concerted efforts to enhance the safety and protection of migrants,” Othman Belbeisi, IOM regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement. Libya recorded 117 deaths and there were 54 fatalities in neighbouring Algeria.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 13, 2023 17:29 UTC