Libyan Warlord Fuels Migrant Surge Straining Crete, Greece Suspends North Africa Asylum

Crete is facing a severe migrant crisis driven by a surge of arrivals from Libya, where warlord Khalifa Haftar’s influence has enabled smuggling gangs to ferry thousands of migrants to the island. Between July 1 and 13, over 2,600 migrants—mainly from Egypt, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan—landed on Crete, overwhelming local facilities and prompting harsh government responses. Greece’s new migration minister, Thanos Plevris, has suspended asylum applications for North African arrivals, enforcing immediate detention and deportation, a move criticized by UN and European human rights organizations. Migrants are held in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, such as abandoned exhibition centers and warehouses, while the ministry converts facilities into closed detention centers. This influx and the government’s stance risk damaging Crete’s vital tourism industry amidst growing political and humanitarian tensions. Experts attribute the instability to Libya’s divided governance and exploitation of oil revenues, with Haftar’s eastern faction using migration flows as leverage in regional power struggles.