Six bodies of migrants recovered in southeast Libya, security directorate says

TRIPOLI, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Libya's ‌security authorities ​recovered ​the bodies of at least six migrants in the southeast of the country after their vehicle ‌broke down in the desert, the Alwahat Security ⁠Directorate said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Directorate said the bodies were ‌recovered in a desert ‌area about 200 km (124 miles) northwest of the town of Jalu.

Libya has become a transit route for migrants fleeing ​conflict and poverty to Europe via dangerous routes across the desert and over the Mediterranean since the toppling ⁠of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Two bodies were ​found inside the broken-down vehicle, three more were found about four km (2.5 miles) away from the ​vehicle, and one body was found ‌about 10 km (six miles) away, after tracking their footprints, the Directorate said.

According to the vehicle ⁠documents, its owner was from Chad, the Directorate said.

It added that in the same incident 19 migrants were rescued on Sunday, ⁠although it did not say where they were rescued.

According to the ​brother of the vehicle's owner, who was one of the 19 rescued migrants, there was another vehicle with them that took the fuel ‌from the broken-down vehicle and continued the journey, the Directorate said.

Pictures that the Directorate posted ‌showed security staff accompanied by members of the Fifth Battalion ⁠of the 129th Brigade ‌recovering the bodies in ​a desert area and placing them in black plastic bags.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami; Editing by Hugh ‌Lawson)

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