group was allegedly fleeing Libya when their boat capsized, killing more than 400 other

migrants on board. Last year, nearly 200 thousand refugees made this same dangerous trek to

Italy, and more than three thousand of them died on the way. So what’s going on? Why

are so many migrants risking their lives to leave Libya?

Well, since the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been in a near constant

state of civil war between two major political factions, and various armed militias. To learn

more about that, watch our video on what Libya looks like after Gaddafi. Also, ISIS has taken

advantage of Libya’s turmoil, and gained a foothold in the region. In February 2015,

they beheaded 21 Egyptian men in Libya, and held a military parade with a fleet of pickup

trucks.

As a result, reports from the region show that oil production and subsequently, Libya’s

GDP, have experienced steep declines. The Atlantic Council warned in 2014 that Libya

was facing an economic collapse.

Faced with a dysfunctional, broke, and violence-prone state, many migrants choose to risk the dangerous

journey across the Mediterranean in hopes of a better life in Europe. Refugees from

Syria, Somalia and Eritrea contribute to the total number of migrants passing through Libya.

The country is considered to be the best place to attempt a sea crossing, with an alleged

high success rate. Libyan coastlines are extensive and often unpatrolled. And since both the

current governments have their hands full trying to conquer and stabilize the nation,

their interest in deterring the vast amount of human trafficking on Libyan shores is minimal.

For more on the chaos in Libya and the threat ISIS poses, watch our videos now. Thanks for

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