300 Migrants Bound for UK Kidnapped, Threatened with Organ Removal
Investigation Unearths Ransom Kidnapping in Libya
300 migrants bound for UK kidnapped – The BBC uncovered a shocking scheme last summer involving over 300 migrants from Iraqi Kurdistan, who were seized in Libya by a militia group. These individuals were subjected to physical abuse and warned that their kidneys would be harvested if families failed to pay a ransom of $5,000 per person. The discovery came during an inquiry into another smuggler, Kardo Jaf, whose arrest in February 2025 linked him to this operation.
Smugglers and the Ransom System
Two key figures in the operation, Noah Aaron and Kardo Jaf, both hail from Ranya, a town in Iraqi Kurdistan noted for its entrenched smuggling networks. According to a Chatham House report, the region is “riddled with active smuggling networks,” which often operate under the protection of rival Libyan militias. These groups exploit the country’s limited governance, making it difficult to track or prosecute crimes.
Aaron, who previously organized the migrants’ journey to the UK, is now serving a 10-year sentence in France for money laundering and smuggling offenses. The militia, however, targeted families for ransom, demanding payments for guiding the migrants across Libya to the Mediterranean coast. One local man shared his experience, revealing his son had been held captive and later sent a photo of a scar he described as possibly from a forced organ operation.
Conditions and Evidence of Abuse
During the summer of 2025, groups of migrants were taken to a guarded compound and held in overcrowded cells. Over 180 individuals were confined to a single cell, with some reporting they slept sitting up due to the cramped space. A 16-year-old boy recounted,
“We didn’t see the Sun for six months.”
Others described being beaten for delays in using a shared toilet. Torture was also reported, including a case where a man claimed his leg was burned.
Photographic evidence from released hostages showed signs of brutality, with one image depicting a man being led to a doctor for a kidney extraction. A UK consultant confirmed the scars matched those from kidney operations, though the BBC could not definitively verify if removals occurred. At least one hostage is known to have died during the ordeal.
Continued Migration Despite Risks
Despite the dangers, the flow of migrants from Iraqi Kurdistan to Europe persists. Hemn Merany, a senior official at the Kurdistan Regional Government, noted that some families may have paid with their organs, though others managed to settle the ransom quickly. The local man who approached the BBC in Ranya said his son was among 110 freed in January, but the trauma of captivity remains evident in the photos he shared.
The case highlights the precarious nature of migration routes through Libya, where criminal groups thrive amid political instability. Anthony Dunkerley, a UN adviser, described the country as having a “huge vacuum of government,” enabling smuggling networks to operate with minimal oversight. As the investigation continues, questions linger about how many captives still remain in the hands of the militia.
