Sudan Media Forum
By Maab Al-Merghani
KHARTOUM,October 1, 2025, (Jubraka News) – In recent weeks, numerous Sudanese refugees in Libya have been targeted in attacks against foreigners, with several Libyan cities witnessing assaults, arrests, and raids involving both Libyan citizens and official authorities.
Sudanese refugees reported that the attacks have primarily focused on individuals working in popular markets, particularly in the city of Misrata, where their shops were vandalized and goods were looted. The incidents also extended to raids on their homes.
The Spark from Social Media
(M.A.), a Sudanese resident who arrived in Misrata after the war began, told Jubraka News that the anti-immigrant campaign originated on social media platforms through posts and videos with racist content, including misleading images manipulated with artificial intelligence.
The resident, who requested anonymity, added that the first on-the-ground protest occurred two weeks ago on a Friday. Participants held banners reading: “No to the settlement of foreigners… Libya is for Libyans.” After authorities arrested one of the campaign’s organizers, protestors held a demonstration in Misrata that ended with public threats against the Sudanese community, followed by direct attacks on their shops and physical assaults in the market.
The speaker noted that large numbers of Libyans are participating in these campaigns, with some blaming the Sudanese for rising property rents and commodity prices, as well as for competing with Libyans for jobs and housing. “The number of posts against us on social media is overwhelming, and for a long time, they have been trying to convince people that we are the cause of the high cost of living,” he said.
He explained that the targeting is not limited to Sudanese, as it previously affected Palestinians and Syrians. However, the Sudanese have become the most vulnerable due to their presence being linked to increased irregular migration across the Mediterranean. “Recently, the interception and return of migrant boats from the sea have increased. This seasonal migration usually peaks in the summer, which is part of the reason for the escalating attacks against us,” he added.
Raids and Targeting of Residences
(M.A.) spoke of raids targeting Sudanese homes, with landlords warning tenants of impending, large-scale inspection campaigns. He stressed that anyone without official documentation is subject to arrest and questioning.
He clarified that most Sudanese in Libya work in menial jobs, such as in grocery stores, workshops, construction, cleaning, bakeries, and poultry farms.
The Sudanese Embassy Remains Silent
Despite the deteriorating security situation and the grave dangers faced by Sudanese in Libya, the Sudanese embassy’s role has been completely absent. (M.A.) stated, “For months, we informed the embassy in Tripoli of our desire to return to Sudan but received no response. Hundreds of families are now stranded after the Rapid Support Forces seized control of the border triangle with Sudan, leaving them with no solutions. We have repeatedly appealed to the embassy and the consulate in Libya to find lasting solutions, but to no avail.”
Mass Deportations and Mounting Pressure
In July 2025, Libyan authorities in the east announced the deportation of approximately 700 Sudanese migrants by land to Sudan. They had been detained in the country’s central and southeastern regions for illegal residency.
The Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration, a Libyan authority, stated that these actions are part of broader campaigns to curb irregular migration to Europe, reflecting the mounting security pressure on migrants in Libya in recent months.
In a report from the same month, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) projected that the number of Sudanese in Libya would exceed 650,000 by the end of this year due to the ongoing war in Sudan since April 2023.
UNHCR noted that the daily influx of arrivals continues, especially from the Darfur region across the southern border. The arrival of 313,000 refugees has been recorded since the war’s outbreak, at an average rate of 300 to 600 people per day.
The agency pointed out that this influx exacerbates the pressure on host Libyan cities, which already face shortages of water, food, shelter, and health services.
Reflections of the Political Situation
A Sudanese journalist and political analyst residing in Libya, who also requested anonymity, revealed that the recent wave of hostility toward foreigners is rooted in discussions about an alleged agreement between Libya’s eastern and western governments (the government of Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and Khalifa Haftar) and the U.S. administration to resettle some Palestinians in Libya.
He explained to “Jubraka News” that news of this alleged agreement sparked widespread public anger, starting on social media with slogans like “No to the settlement of foreigners… Libya is for Libyans” and “No to the foreign presence.” These online campaigns quickly evolved into on-the-ground calls for the expulsion of all foreigners.
He noted that the first spark ignited in the major tourist city of Sabratha before spreading to Zawiya and Sorman. The campaigns were accompanied by violent protests and riots that included attacks on foreigners, especially Sudanese; the storming of family homes; and, for the first time in Libya’s history, the looting of shops. The situation escalated to the point where some families were relocated to shelters.
Hate Speech Against Foreigners
The analyst stated that several parties have exploited public anger to fuel hate speech against various nationalities in Libya, including Sudanese, Syrians, Palestinians, Chadians, and Egyptians. They are accused of causing rent and price hikes, taking jobs, and are linked, in the public’s perception, to the spread of serious diseases like AIDS and cancer.
He added, “Hate speech is not new in Libya, but it has returned this time with greater violence, driven by a sentiment among Libyans that the number of expatriates—estimated at over 10 million—exceeds the local population of about 7 million.”
He pointed out that the recent events coincided with the killing of a militia leader in Tripoli, which has increased security turmoil amid the Dbeibeh government’s inability to fully control the militias. This has worsened the climate of chaos and created an opening for increased violence and looting.
The journalist criticized the Sudanese embassy’s position in Tripoli, stressing that it has yet to issue any statement condemning or protesting what he described as “brutal acts” and violations against Sudanese citizens, despite receiving urgent appeals from the Sudanese community. He demanded that the embassy take immediate action to address the Libyan authorities and press for an end to these abuses.
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The Sudan Media Forum and its member institutions are publishing this material, prepared by Jubraka News, to highlight the recent plight of Sudanese refugees in Libya and the escalation of attacks and violence against them. This is the result of systematic hate campaigns that have turned into on-the-ground assaults and mass deportations, amid the silence and inability of the Sudanese embassy and official bodies to protect their citizens.
