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Libya + 15 more

UNHCR Flash Update Libya (28 April - 4 May 2018) [EN/AR]

Attachments

Key figures:

  • 184,612 Libyans currently internally displaced (IDPs)1 368,583 returned IDPs (returns registered in 2016 -March 2018)

  • 52,031 registered refugees and asylumseekers in the State of Libya

  • 9,408 persons arrived in Italy by sea in 2018

  • 486 monitoring visits to detention centres so far in 2018 1,006 asylum-seekers and refugees released from detention so far in 2018 (including for evacuations) 1,342 vulnerable refugees and asylumseekers evacuated since November 2017

  • Funding USD 85 M required for 2018

Highlights

On 30 April, UNHCR, in coordination with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), airlifted 88 vulnerable refugees from Zwara detention centre (115 km west of Tripoli) to Tripoli. As part of the Mixed Migration Working Group, UNHCR continues to respond to the urgent needs of 800 refugees and migrants held in the detention facility. The refugees and migrants, detained in extreme conditions for weeks, are mostly from Cameroon, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia and Sudan. They are in urgent need of psychosocial support and suffering from lack of water, ventilation and food. UNHCR and partners, International Medical Corps (IMC), Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and MSF, provided medical assistance, anti-scabies treatment and distributed non-food items.

On 29 March, UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM established a first Best Interest Determination (BID) Panel in Tripoli, Inter-agency collaboration for the protection of children is key to ensure that children in need of international protection are identified and referred to UNHCR for protection activities and the identification of durable solutions.

Population Movements

As of 30 April, more than 1,300 persons of concern to UNHCR were disembarked in Libya in 2018. So far this year, the Libyan Coast Guard rescued/intercepted 5,109 refugees and migrants in Libya. This represents an increase of 45.5% when compared to the same period last year (3,509 individuals). A total of 3,347 rescue kits and 461 medical consultations were provided by UNHCR and IMC to those arriving at disembarkation points. This week alone, over 210 refugees and migrants (165 men, 39 women and nine children) were disembarked at the Al Khums Port (94 individuals) and the Tripoli Naval Base (119 individuals). UNHCR and partner International Medical Corps (IMC) provided humanitarian and medical assistance at disembarkation points.

As of 30 April, UNHCR has registered 52,031 refugees and asylum-seekers in Libya. Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR has registered 7,430 individuals. Syrian nationals comprise the largest nationality, followed by Sudanese and Palestinian nationals.