Tripoli / El Kufra — "My throat was parched, and in desperation, I found only urine... so I drank it to escape death." These were the words of 20-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed, one of the many victims of irregular migration, as he recounted his ordeal, a tragedy shared by thousands of Sudanese forced to flee their country due to the war that erupted on 15 April 2023.
Men, women, and children braved the harsh desert roads, hoping to reach Libya's shores and cross the Mediterranean Sea on fragile, often overcrowded boats, only for many to meet their end beneath the waves, becoming food for the fish. With no other source of hydration and on the verge of death from dehydration, Ahmed resorted to drinking his own urine to survive.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that approximately 97,000 Sudanese have sought refuge in Libya since the conflict began, with around 350 new arrivals daily in the Libyan city of El Kufra, a key transit hub for Sudanese refugees. From El Kufra, they travel to other cities, seeking work or hoping to embark on perilous sea voyages to Europe in search of a better life.
Though no official statistics exist, hundreds, possibly thousands, of young Sudanese have suffered harrowing experiences at the hands of smugglers, criminals, and traffickers, hoping to realise the dream of reaching Europe. Many end up lost at sea, detained by coast guards, stranded in the desert, or trapped in prisons, with some succumbing to extreme mental fatigue or death.
'Tales from the sea'
In a house on the outskirts of Tripoli, Radio Dabanga met with two survivors of irregular migration who attempted, but failed, to cross the Mediterranean. We also spoke with a third witness who had heard stories from other victims, some of them friends and colleagues.
One of these survivors, Ibrahim El Bashir, a Sudanese man in his thirties, began his story by describing the situation before his departure from Sudan. "I lost my mother because I couldn't afford her treatment, and I had to abandon my university education. My younger brothers' futures were threatened by poverty." After the war broke out, he decided to emigrate in hopes of improving his family's circumstances. "I first travelled to Chad and then crossed into Libya, but the wages here are low, barely covering my expenses, and the security situation is dangerous," he said. This drove him to consider the risky journey across the Mediterranean, despite being fully aware of its dangers.
'Harsh treatment and degrading conditions'
El Bashir explained that he paid 1,800 Libyan dinars, which he painstakingly gathered, to smugglers for passage on a rickety boat. He was taken to a farm in the mountains, about 10 kilometres from Tripoli, where he stayed in a smuggling camp for a month. "We were tortured, beaten, and humiliated," he recalled. "The food was minimal -- just pasta boiled in water with salt. They threatened us with guns, and the water was unsafe to drink. Some African women were taken daily to unknown places."
Each day, more of his companions would leave on the boats, only for some to return in terrible mental and physical states after witnessing fellow passengers drown. "More than half of the people on the boats are often swallowed by the sea. Yet, despite hearing these stories, we clung to the hope of migrating, as there seemed to be no better option."
Decisive moments
Recounting the final moments before boarding, El Bashir said, "When we reached the shore, they told us to discard all metal items, including shoes and belts, and helped us launch the boat into the water." He added that many boats were made of flimsy materials and were overloaded with passengers, often beyond their capacity.
Before setting out, El Bashir and the others insisted on inspecting the boat themselves. After being reassured by the smuggler, they launched into the sea after sunset. "After 10 hours of sailing, we spotted a large ship. Some thought it was a rescue vessel, while others were afraid to approach it. Eventually, we decided to head towards it, only to discover it was a Turkish coastguard ship. We were arrested and sent back to Libya."
After returning, they were detained and tortured. "I tried to escape with a friend, but I broke my leg, and my friend was injured. Fortunately, some bystanders helped us, and we were taken to a hospital where I spent a year receiving treatment."
'The desert's perils'
Mukhtar Ahmed also shared his harrowing tale. After leaving Sudan, he arrived in Libya with dreams of reaching Europe. Smugglers demanded SDG 1.5 million from him, which he paid in hopes of crossing the sea. He and a large group of migrants, mostly Sudanese, were gathered on a farm before being transported to the Algerian border. From there, they attempted to reach Tunisia, believing the sea route from Tunisia to Italy was less dangerous.
However, Ahmed recalled a particularly tragic part of the journey in the Ouargla desert, where cars frequently break down, leaving passengers stranded. "Due to the harsh desert conditions and poorly maintained vehicles, breakdowns were frequent, often leaving migrants stranded for days with limited food and water, exposed to the deadly desert heat." Ahmed described meeting a young man who had resorted to drinking his own urine after his car broke down, leaving him and his group to suffer from thirst and hunger.
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'Captivity and ransom'
After being arrested by Tunisian authorities, Ahmed and others were nearly deported to Niger. However, he escaped by jumping out of a moving bus, only to be captured again by an armed gang in Libya. He, along with others, was imprisoned and tortured until their families could pay a ransom of 3,000 Libyan dinars for his release.
Now suffering from severe depression, Ahmed lives in temporary shelters with others from his region, struggling to cope with the psychological and physical toll of his ordeal. "Despite the dangers of irregular migration, for many of us, it feels like the only option," he explained.
This report is published simultaneously on the platforms of media and press institutions and organisations that are members of the Sudan Media Forum.
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