Over 150 migrants freed from traffickers

CAIRO — Libyan authorities raided a secret prison in a southeastern city used by human traffickers and freed 156 African migrants, as the U.N. migration agency said Monday more than 1,300 Europe-bound migrants returned over the past week to the conflict-stricken country.

The raid in the city of Kufra took place on Sunday after a migrant managed to escape a houseturned-prison last week and reported to authorities that he and other migrants were held and tortured by traffickers there, the Kufra security bureau said.

Security forces arrested at least six traffickers and referred them to prosecutors for further investigation, the bureau said.

Among them were 15 women and five children, it said.