Terrorist Organizations' Employment of Illegal Migrants in Libya and its Implications for the Future of National Security

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze how terrorist groups have exploited irregular migration in Libya since 2011, amid the security and political instability that has provided a fertile environment for their expansion. The study highlights that irregular migration has become a significant source of both human and financial support for terrorist organizations, whether through recruiting some migrants or through illicit activities linked to smuggling networks across the desert and coastline. The paper is guided by a central question: How do terrorist organizations in Libya employ irregular migrants, and what are the implications of this for national security? The study also presents the legal concepts related to migrants and refugees and the essential distinctions between them, followed by an examination of the security repercussions resulting from the involvement of migrants in terrorist activities in Tripoli and other areas. The paper concludes with a set of proposals aimed at strengthening Libyan national security and limiting the use of irregular migration in terrorism.