TRIPOLI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that 349 migrants were intercepted off the coast of Libya in the past week.

"From February 23 to March 1, 349 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya," including 21 women and six children, IOM said in a statement.

So far this year, a total of 4,204 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya, while 80 migrants died on the Central Mediterranean route, IOM added.

Because of the insecurity and chaos in the country since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, many migrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya.

Libyan Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabelsi recently said that Libya may resort to "forced deportation of illegal migrants" if the international community fails to support their voluntary return to their countries of origin. Enditem

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