Libya closes its border with Sudan following death of 15 persons

Libya closed its borders last night with Sudan following the yet unconfirmed deaths of 15 people in a car crash while the vehicle was being pursued by anti-human trafficking border guards between the two countries. According to the Libyan News Agency (LANA), the Sudanese Ministry of the Interior has issued a statement for its citizens who wish to travel to Libya that the borders have been closed by a decision of the Libyan authorities, and that unofficial border-crossing regions are considered a 'no-go zone'. The Ministry said in a statement that 12 Sudanese and three people of other nationalities have died as a result of their vehicle rolling over during a chase between human traffickers and Libyan border guards. The statement pointed out that the incident also resulted in the injury of five other people. The Sudanese Embassy in Tripoli is following up the circumstances of the incident with the Libyan authorities, and the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to summon the Libyan charge d'Affaires for the same purpose and to demand conduction of an investigation into the case.