ALGEIRS, Algeria: Fourteen people, including 12 Syrian migrants, were found dead in Algeria’s southern desert province of Illizi, with five others still missing, an official from the Syrian embassy in Algeria reported on Monday.
Bassem Farroukh, head of irregular migration at the Syrian embassy, stated that the victims, who had entered Algeria from Libya, were found dead on Saturday after getting lost in the desert.
The migrants were discovered by the Search and Rescue Association, an NGO specializing in rescuing lost individuals in the Algerian desert. Among the deceased were two Algerians and 12 Syrians, including children aged 10 and 16. The ongoing search efforts aim to locate the remaining missing migrants.
Farroukh criticized Libyan authorities, accusing them of expelling the migrants and pushing them toward Algeria. He expressed concern that similar incidents might occur as more Syrians attempt to escape Libya in the same manner. This tragic event echoes a 2016 incident where 22 Syrians were rescued by the Algerian army after getting lost in the desert upon entering from Niger.
North Africa has become a route for many Syrians and other irregular migrants seeking to reach Western Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. The migration crisis is fueled by the ongoing conflict in Syria, which began in 2011. The war, which erupted during the Arab Spring uprisings, has resulted in over half a million deaths and the displacement of 13.8 million people, according to the UNHCR. The conflict has devastated Syria’s economy and infrastructure, leaving millions in desperate conditions and forcing them to seek refuge in neighboring countries and beyond.
