400 hundred Chadians have been detained on the streets of the Libyan city Ajdabiya in response to the Chadian government's arrest of four Libyan men suspected of poaching endangered animals, according to The Guardian. The arrest was reportedly conducted by a militia linked to warlord Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army.
Some of the detained Chadians are thought to be illegal migrants, the newspaper states, citing an unnamed security source in Libya.
Previously, Chadian authorities arrested four Libyans accused of poaching in the country and entering Chad illegally, The Libya Observer reported, citing a statement by the Chadian government, on September 13.
It was also stated that hunting rifles and some ammunition were seized during the arrest.
Chad’s Environment Minister,Mahamat Ahmat Lazina told reporters from The Guardian that five vehicles had entered Chad from Libya and were pursued by Chadian security forces. Three of the vehicles managed to get away. He also added that the four men could face up to five years in prison if they are found guilty.
"The four hunters have been active in the area for several years and accused of hunting animals in the area such as wild cattle and deer," the governor of Chad's Ennedi region, Isakha Malwa Jamous, said, per The Libya Observer.
Chad has been struggling with the issue of poaching for a long time. In 2013, poachers slaughtered 89 elephants, including 33 pregnant females and 15 calves, the WWF and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said, citing local officials.