Government spokesman says Libya chaos spurs human trafficking, 'terrorists' profit

BAYDA, Libya – A spokesman for Libya's internationally recognized government says the chaos in his country has allowed human traffickers to proliferate.

Hatem al-Aribi said Tuesday that the smuggling of migrants to Europe via Libya generates massive amounts of illicit money, some of which ends up in the hands of "terrorist" organizations.

He urged Europeans to coordinate with his government to stop the trade, which profits from desperate refugees fleeing war and poverty across the Middle East and Africa.

Libya has two rival governments, each claiming legitimacy as their allied militias fight across the country. The violence has surged in recent months, and April has seen an uptick in crowded refugee rafts headed to Europe, many of which have capsized, leaving hundreds feared dead.