Thousands Of Migrants Cross From Libya To Italy, And Not A War ‘Refugee’ Among Them

As the weather improves and the Mediterranean becomes navigable by small craft the 2016 migrant season has got under way, with thousands having crossed illegally in the past week.

At least 5,000 migrants crossed from Libya to Italy last week according to latest figures, but none of them were from the recognised war-zones of Syria or Iraq, from which European states have agreed to take so-called ‘refugees’. The number crossing is expected to experience strong growth as spring develops and migrant confidence increases.

Figures from a leaked United Nations document seen by Austria’s Kronen Zeitung forecast will double this week, with 10,000 making the journey in just seven days.

A military intelligence source speaking to the paper said of the growth: “The weather in the Mediterranean region is now good, this week on the North African coast are dozens boats setting off towards Italy”.

While many countries in Europe have agreed to take so-called refugees from Islamic-State afflicted Iraq and Syria, of those crossing to Italy in the past week the vast majority are actually economic migrants, not refugees. According to the leaked document the largest group crossing are Nigerians at nearly one-fifth, followed by Gambians at 15 per cent, and Senegalese at ten per cent.

No Syrians or Iraqis are recorded at all in the leaked document.

The jump in migrant crossings comes just a week after Breitbart London reported on the large numbers of migrants massing in Libya ahead of the better weather. Around 800,000 were thought to be waiting in the country to come to Europe, a high figure to the 200,000 migrants who took the Libya-Italy route in the past 12 months.

Around 3,700 were killed on the crossing as their unseaworthy boats broke up or capsized. Some Christian migrants were thrown overboard by Muslim travellers once they reached open water, for which over a dozen arrests were made.

European militaries and coast guards are already busy policing the waterways as the unsafe boats make their way to Europe. Just last Wednesday 774 migrants were rescued in the Strait of Sicily as their boat hit problems.

Follow Oliver Lane on Twitter: Follow @Oliver_Lane or e-mail to: olane@breitbart.com