300 migrants bound for UK kidnapped and threatened with kidney removal

More than 300 migrants heading to the UK last summer were kidnapped, tortured and threatened with forced organ removal, the BBC has learned.

The young men, all from Iraqi Kurdistan, were captured in Libya by a militia who demanded a ransom of $5,000 (£3,700) from each of their families, and threatened to harvest the captives' kidneys if payment was not made promptly.

We have spoken to some hostages who have since been released, and seen photo evidence suggesting that forced operations did take place.

The former captives showed us evidence of torture, and said they had been kept in cramped conditions, with nearly 180 people sharing a cell.

At least one hostage is known to have died, and it is unclear how many remain captive.

The militia was supposed to be guiding the migrants through Libya to the Mediterranean coast. However, a dispute over payment had broken out with the Iraqi Kurd people-smuggler, Noah Aaron, who had organised the migrants' journey.

Aaron is now serving a 10-year prison sentence in France for separate money laundering and smuggling offences.

Details of the kidnappings emerged during a recent BBC investigation into another smuggler, Kardo Jaf , which led to his arrest last month.