Over 80 African migrants rescued in Sahara Desert

Some 83 African migrants stranded in a remote area of the Sahara Desert have been rescued, said the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The rescued migrants include men, women and children from Nigeria, Ghana, Mali and Togo. 

Prior to their rescue, the migrants were stranded in the desert without food or water for three days and many were dehydrated and in need of medical support. The rescue mission was conducted on 3 September by IOM, the General Directorate for Civil Protection (DGPC) in Niger, and the European Union.

The rescued migrants were bound for Libya. Over the past few years, hundreds of migrants have died attempting to cross the perilous route to reach Europe.  More than 400 migrants have been rescued in the Sahara Desert in 2020, according to IOM.

TMP_14/09/2020

Photo credit: Shutterstock/Torsten Pursche

Photo caption: Migrants crossing the Sahara desert into Chad ride on the back of a pickup truck, November 8, 2017, Chad