Over 600 Egyptians flee Libya in past weeks

Published July 11th, 2016 - 04:00 GMT
Egyptians gather their belongings as they prepare to cross to Tunisia, via the Libyan side of the Ras Djir border crossing, on February 23, 2015 for a flight evacuating them back to Cairo. (AFP/Mahmud Turkia)
Egyptians gather their belongings as they prepare to cross to Tunisia, via the Libyan side of the Ras Djir border crossing, on February 23, 2015 for a flight evacuating them back to Cairo. (AFP/Mahmud Turkia)

In the past few weeks, hundreds of Egyptians have returned to Egypt via the Salloum land crossing on the Libyan-Egyptian border.

According to El Watan News, 510 Egyptian workers have returned from Libya and were waiting repatriation, 95 of whom entered Libya to work illegally.

Major Gen. Alaa , the governor of the Matrouh province in Egypt, said that he will work on strengthening cooperation between Libya and Egypt to keep both parties safe, and will work towards developing economic in the region.

Abu Zeid would like to secure two way trade and preserve the lives of truck drivers, ensuring that locals in Matrouh will be able to benefit from its strategic position along the Libyan-Egyptian border.

As of July 10th, an additional 127 Egyptians arrived at the same land border and are currently awaiting repatriation, sources told Libya's Channel news agency. 36 of them had entered Libya illegally.

The Egyptian Exterior Ministry has announced a temporary travel ban for Egyptians to Libya. The Ministry added that Egyptians currently working in the country are encouraged to leave or at the very least stay updated on news and avoid hotbeds of violence.

Egyptians in Libya were also advised to avoid the road to the Egyptian border, an area considered to be dangerous

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