**Armed Men Kidnap Women and Children from Deflating Migrant Dinghy off Libyan Coast**

An alarming incident unfolded off the coast of Libya when armed men in speedboats abducted women and children from a deflating rubber dinghy carrying around 112 migrants. The harrowing episode, reported by the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (MSF), saw dozens of men and boys plunge into the sea to escape.

The MSF humanitarian vessel, Geo Barents, arrived on the scene in international waters on Thursday, where it rescued 83 males, including unaccompanied minors, pulling 70 individuals directly from the water. Witnesses and survivors recounted that some of the armed men, who claimed to be from the Libyan Coast Guard, had discharged firearms during the chaos. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.

One of the speedboats carrying 24 women and four children initially indicated they would release their captives once the men were rescued but instead sped away, leaving their whereabouts unknown. The rescued individuals were identified to be from Eritrea, Yemen, and Ethiopia.

MSF has urgently called on regional authorities and organizations to assist in reuniting the separated families, emphasizing Libya's unsafe conditions. The organization condemned the incident as putting numerous lives in danger and causing tragic family separations.

Maria Eliana Tunno, a psychologist aboard the Geo Barents, described the traumatic experiences of the separated men and boys in a video statement, highlighting their extreme fatigue, desperation, and shock. Many of the rescued have reportedly suffered severe abuses and inhumane treatment in Libya.

This year, over 62,000 migrants have reached Italy by sea, a significant reduction from the over 152,000 who made the perilous journey over the same period in 2023. The United Nations has recorded 2,124 migrant deaths during Central Mediterranean crossings this year.

In response to the ongoing crisis, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni's far-right-led government has enacted policies to curb migration to Italy. These measures include multi-million euro agreements with Tunisia and Egypt to limit departures and plans to establish migrant screening centers in Albania.