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In early September, the Libyan coast guard captured 18 Sicilian fishermen in the Mediterranean. They are still being detained in Benghazi in eastern Libya, which is ruled by the warlord Haftar, Swedish radio reports.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi de Maio is now asking other countries for help to bring them home.
In return, the Haftar government is demanding the repatriation of four Libyans arrested for human trafficking in 2015. Libya claims they are soccer players, while Italy has sentenced them to 30 years in prison for the deaths of 49 migrants.
A few days ago, Di Mayo said that violent incidents had occurred in the area before, but that now that neither Italy, the EU nor the UN recognize Haftar’s government as legitimate for Libya, he turned to countries that have better contacts with the East Libya, among others. France, the United States and Russia.
Family members of the fishermen have demonstrated in front of the parliament in Rome to pressure the Italian government. Their image is that they will only take them home if Italy agrees with the Haftar regime’s trade demands.
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