Libya rival government calls for regional conference to tackle migrant influx

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A rival government controlling western Libya has asked Arab and European countries to hold a regional conference this month to help the North African country stem a flow of migrants, a minister said on Thursday.

Libya has turned into a major transit route for migrants fleeing war and poverty. As two governments fight each other, smugglers exploit a security vacuum to bring Syrians into Libya via Egypt or nationals of sub-Saharan countries via Niger, Sudan and Chad and ship them by boat to Italy.