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Over the summer of 2025, more than 300 migrants from Iraqi Kurdistan attempting to reach the UK were abducted in Libya, subjected to torture, and faced threats of forced kidney extraction, according to investigations by the BBC. These young men were captured by a militia group that demanded a ransom of $5,000 (£3,700) from each migrant’s family, warning that those who failed to pay could have their organs forcibly removed. The captives endured overcrowded and harsh conditions, with some sharing cramped cells holding up to 180 people.
The group responsible for the kidnappings was initially meant to escort the migrants through Libya towards the Mediterranean coast, but conflict erupted over payments with the smuggler organizing the journey, Noah Aaron. Aaron, who hails from Ranya in Iraqi Kurdistan, is currently imprisoned in France for unrelated charges. It is believed that he and the militia had a longstanding relationship linked to the region’s extensive smuggling networks, described as “riddled with active smuggling” by Chatham House, a UK think tank.
Families of the captives received threatening messages along with distressing photos and videos from the captors, including footage of a man being told he was about to undergo a kidney removal surgery. Some hostages who have since been released shared pictures of scars that experts in the UK assessed as consistent with kidney operations, although it remains unconfirmed whether organs were forcibly harvested. Meanwhile, several hostages’ families were forced to pay hefty ransoms under duress, and Kurdish authorities suspect that some migrants may have been exploited for organ removal.
Testimonies from survivors describe brutal mistreatment and inhumane conditions during captivity. One released hostage showed wounds on his leg caused by burning, while a 16-year-old recounted enduring six months in a confined cell without sunlight, with everyone forced to sleep sitting up and sharing a single toilet under threat of beatings. Basic sustenance consisted of a single piece of bread per day, provided only when families paid extra money. Despite these horrors, the flow of migrants from Iraqi Kurdistan to Europe continues unabated. Hemn Merany, a senior official in the Kurdistan Regional Government, urges survivors to share their stories to deter others from making the dangerous journey, noting with sorrow, “The very sad part of this business is we do not learn.”
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