Libya: Indian embassy facilitates return of 18 nationals stranded in Benghazi

The Indian Embassy in Libya has successfully facilitated the return of 18 Indian nationals from Benghazi, who had been stranded in the city for several weeks, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Tuesday February 4. It has been reported that these individuals were reportedly lured to Libya by fraudulent recruitment agents.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on X, “The Embassy of India in Libya facilitated the return of 18 Indian nationals from Benghazi. They are expected to arrive in India tomorrow.” He added, “The individuals had travelled to Libya for work but were stranded for several weeks. The Embassy worked closely with local authorities, providing the necessary authorisation and travel documents to assist the workers.”

Jaiswal further explained that while the situation was being investigated, the Embassy remained in constant contact with the stranded nationals to ensure their well-being and provide assistance with daily necessities. He also mentioned that three other Indian nationals from the same group had been assisted by the Embassy and returned to India in October. The spokesperson expressed gratitude to the Libyan authorities for their cooperation and support in facilitating the return. Since the outbreak of civil war in 2014, Libya’s security situation has significantly worsened, prompting India to impose a travel ban on its nationals to the country in April 2016. With the ongoing instability, there are currently no direct flights between India and Libya.