TRIPOLI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Libyan security forces aligned with the country's eastern government arrested some 570 undocumented migrants of various nationalities and several suspected human traffickers near the border town of Imsa'ed on Saturday, eastern authorities said.

The arrests near Imsa'ed, close to Libya's border with Egypt, followed investigations that uncovered several hideouts used by the migrants, the eastern security directorate said in a statement.

Approximately 570 migrants and a number of individuals suspected of human trafficking were detained during the operation, the statement added.

Libya became a major departure point for migrants, predominantly from other African nations, attempting treacherous sea crossings to Europe after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi and plunged the North African country into chaos. Enditem

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