Libya rescues some 278 migrants off western shores

‘Some 278 refugees have been rescued by the Libyan coastguard off the country’s western shores in the Mediterranean Sea.
The spokesman of Libyan naval forces, Ayoub Qaseed, said Monday that rescue operations took place off the shores of Zawiya and Sabratha, two towns west of the capital Tripoli.
He said 128 people had been rescued near Zawiya refinery about 23 kilometers off the coast while 150 other refugees were rescued off Sabratha.
There was no immediate report about potential deaths from drowning while it was not clear when the refugees had set off their journey.
Zawiya and Sabratha, along the town of Zuwarah, are common embarkation points for refugees trying to cross the central Mediterranean to the north to reach European shores in Italy. The refugees often use flimsy boats provided by smugglers.’
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