Boats from Eastern Libya: How Europe Is Bowing to a Libyan Warlord on Migration
Brussels is concerned about the rising number of migrants reaching Crete - and is allowing itself to be blackmailed by the notorious Haftar family in eastern Libya, as DER SPIEGEL reporting has found.
Officials at Europe’s border control agency Frontex, based in Warsaw, have observed an unusual event in recent times. They monitor one of the most crucial refugee routes to Europe: the central Mediterranean. The agency's screens display constant images, often of boats struggling at sea, tragic accidents, and instances of violence.
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On October 12, 2025, however, Frontex officials witnessed an incident unlike any other. A fishing boat was making its way north across the Mediterranean, carrying 140 individuals who had embarked from the Libyan coast.
Written by urgent.news from Der Spiegel Intl's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
