Libyan authorities have arrested 240 illegal immigrants and are preparing to repatriate them, the interior ministry said on Thursday.

Those detained in operations around the country were of various nationalities, a statement said, without giving details of when the arrests were made.

With 1,770 kilometres of coastline, Libya is a popular jumping-off point for people seeking to reach Europe from elsewhere in Africa. Malta and Lampedusa are only a few hundred kilometres away.

The Italian Interior Ministry recently said that 16,482 illegal immigrants landed in Italy last year, adding that they probably came from Libya.

In December, Tripoli and Rome signed an accord to cooperate in the battle against illegal immigration, which includes joint sea patrols.

Oil-rich Libya has a native population of six million, with an estimated one million more living there illegally. In January, Tripoli announced a massive operation to round up and repatriate illegal aliens.