Libya rescues over 1,500 migrants off coast in week

Libya has rescued more than 1,500 would-be migrants off its west coast in the past week, a non-governmental organisation said.

"The Libyan coastguard has conducted several rescue operations from a week ago until (Wednesday) and rescued about 1,500 people," Adel al-Idrissi from the International Rescue Committee told AFP.

On Wednesday alone, 240 African migrants were rescued from two boats off the port city of Al-Khums, said Lieutenant-Colonel Mohammed Abdel Aali of the coastguard.