TRIPOLI, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Sunday said that it voluntarily deported more than 1330 illegal migrants from Libya to their countries of origin in October.

"IOM helps migrants stranded in Libya to reach their homes. This month only, over 1,330 migrants of different nationalities returned home safely," IOM said.

IOM carries out the voluntary return program in cooperation with Libyan authorities, with an aim to arrange the return of illegal migrants stranded in Libya to their home countries.

Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of migrants who have been rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services.

Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal migrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe because of insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.