ReliefWeb

Highlights

On 9 May, UNHCR together with authorities transferred 228 vulnerable persons of concern from Azzawya (116 Individuals), Tajoura (68 individuals) and Al Sabah (44 individuals) detention centres to UNHCR’s Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF). On 8 May, UNHCR called for the urgent relocation to safety of refugees and migrants in detention centres located in conflict areas in Tripoli. On 7 May, an airstrike hit a target less than 100 metres away from Tajoura detention centre, where over 500 refugees and migrants were detained. Since 4 April, UNHCR relocated 769 refugees and asylum-seekers to the GDF. Currently the GDF is hosting 617 refugees and is reaching its full capacity. UNHCR continues to process refugees for an evacuation out of Libya, now foreseen for 23 May. A rapid decongestion of the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Niger will be at this point crucial to allow new transfers from selected detention centres to the GDF. Since the onset of the crisis in Tripoli, UNHCR has evacuated 309 refugees to the ETM in Niger and Italy. Since November 2017, UNHCR has evacuated 3,612 refugees and asylum-seekers to Niger (2,782 individuals), the Emergency Transit Centre in Romania (269 individuals) and Italy (561 individuals).

Population movements

Since 4 April, 60,000 individuals have been displaced (IDPs) due to the ongoing clashes taking place in and around Tripoli. IDPs continue to be largely sheltered in private accommodation in areas in Tripoli or cities along the coast such Azzawya, Sabratha, Misrata and the Nafusa Mountains. Collective shelters are also hosting 2,700 IDPs. UNHCR continues to assist civilians with referrals through its hotlines and by distributing core-relief items (CRIs) to IDPs.
Since the beginning of the conflict, UNHCR and LibAid distributed CRIs to 8,252 IDPs and supported 2,340 individuals through its hotlines.
As of 10 May, 1,501 persons have been rescued/intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard. On 7 May, 214 refugees and migrants disembarked in Al Khums following two operations of the LCG. UNHCR through IMC provided medical assistance and CRIs to those disembarked before they were transferred to a detention centre by the authorities.

UNHCR response

UNHCR continues to support refugees in urban areas. At the UNHCR’s Community Day Centres (CDC1 and CDC2) UNHCR, IMC and CESVI are assisting on average 100 refugees on a daily basis. At the CDCs, refugees are assisted with CRIs, medical assistance, psychosocial support and referrals. So far in 2019, IMC provided over 3,970 medical consultations.
Registration of refugees and asylum-seekers continued during the week.
So far in May, UNHCR registered over 490 refugees and asylum-seekers.
UNHCR conducted registration activities at its registration centre in Serraj,
Tripoli and inside detention centres. In 2019, UNHCR has registered 3,870 individuals including 2,026 in detention.

UNHCR seeks durable solutions for refugees out of Libya. Since September 2017, UNHCR submitted 1,404 cases to resettlement countries; out of these submissions 434 refugees departed from Libya. So far in 2019, 166 individuals were resettled out of Libya.