TRIPOLI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabelsi stressed Wednesday the importance of support from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to advance the voluntary departure of migrants from Libya to their home countries.

During a meeting between al-Tarabelsi and Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya and head of UNSMIL, the two sides "discussed a number of security issues, in addition to reviewing the Interior Ministry's latest work, its efforts in implementing security plans, and its achievements made on the ground," said a ministry statement published on Facebook.

Al-Tarabelsi "stressed the negative repercussions of illegal migration on Libya and other Mediterranean countries," as well as the importance of UNSMIL's support for the ministry's efforts "in the voluntary return program for migrants," the statement said.

Many migrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya due to the insecurity and chaos in the country since the fall of its late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

So far this year, 4,204 migrants have been intercepted and returned to Libya, while 80 migrants have died on the Central Mediterranean route, according to data from the International Organization for Migration.

Al-Tarabelsi said recently 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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