Europe currently faces uncontrolled migration, as thousands of migrants trying to flee ongoing military conflicts and dire economic situations in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and other areas across North Africa and the Middle East, are using the Mediterranean Sea as their main route to Europe.
According to the estimates of the International Organization for Migration, at least 1,727 migrants have died at sea since the beginning of 2015. The most recent tragedy occurred in April, when a boat carrying some 900 migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea while heading from Libya to Italy, resulting in the deaths of almost all on board, with only 28 rescued.
"Of course, it's a terrible human tragedy; hundreds of people have died. But why did people start to rapidly flee Libya? All because of the bombings and the killing of [Muammar] Gaddafi. When Gaddafi was in power, there was no illegal migration."
Libya has been engulfed in violence since the 2011 overthrow of the country's longstanding leader Muammar Gaddafi. To date, the country has two rival governments, with the internationally recognized authorities based in Tobruk and the self-proclaimed General National Congress based in the capital city of Tripoli.
Libya has also faced aggression from the extremist rebel groups, including Islamic State-affiliated militants.
At least 3,500 people fleeing the North Africa and the Middle East for Europe have died crossing the Mediterranean in 2014, according to UN estimates.
