South Africa deports 95 Libyans arrested at military training camp

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa | Xinhua | The South African Department of Home Affairs on Sunday deported 95 Libyans who were arrested at a suspected illegal military training base in South Africa last month.

The 95 Libyan nationals were arrested by police in July after allegedly being found doing military training in White River in Mpumalanga province. South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), however, on Thursday withdrew charges against them, saying there is no sufficient evidence to convict them for contravening the Immigration Act.

The Department of Home Affairs said in a statement issued Sunday that it had concluded its role in the deportation of the 95 Libyans by declaring “They are scheduled to leave South Africa from the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport this morning in a flight that has been paid for by the Libyan Government.”

Their flight departed from the airport Sunday, according to local media reports.

“I commend the home affairs officials and other law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly to ensure an expeditious deportation. We will continue to deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that the country’s immigration laws are respected and observed,” said Leon Schreiber, South African minister of Home Affairs, in the aforementioned statement.

The home affairs department canceled the visas of the Libyans, saying they made misrepresentations in their visa applications that they were coming to South Africa to train as security guards. The NPA said they will continue proceeding with investigations against the planners, organizers and financiers of the alleged military training camp. ■