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UNHCR Update Libya (27 September 2019) [EN/AR]

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Libya
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UNHCR
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Highlights

On 26 September, UNHCR evacuated 66 vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers to the newly established Emergency Transit Mechanism in Kigali, Rwanda. UNHCR is grateful to both Libyan and Rwandan authorities for supporting this departure. The flight took off from the airport in Misrata (180 km west of Tripoli) and landed safely in Rwanda. The group was composed of refugees transferred from detention centres (Zintan, Azzawya, and Al Sabha), refugees who were hosted in the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF) and refugees living in the urban community. Nationalities of persons travelling included Somali, Eritrean and Sudanese. With this departure, 1,540 individuals have departed for solutions out of Libya in 2019, including 1,169 through humanitarian evacuations and 371 persons through UNHCR’s resettlement programme. UNHCR continues to call on the international community to provide additional solutions for refugees outside Libya.

Population movements

As of 27 September, 6,889 refugees and migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) and disembarked in Libya. So far in September, 967 refugees and migrants were disembarked in Libya. The latest rescue/interception took place on 24 September, when 80 refugees and migrants were disembarked by the LCG in Al Khums (120 km east of Tripoli). UNHCR and its partner the International Medical Corps provided medical assistance and core-relief items to persons disembarked. Recently, boats have been departing from areas near Al Khums, Garbulli and Azzawya.

UNHCR response

Over 300,000 persons remain displaced (IDP) in Libya, of whom 128,000 have been displaced since April alone. UNHCR continues to support IDPs with cash and humanitarian assistance. Over the past weeks, UNHCR and its partner LibAid distributed core-relief items (CRIs) to over 900 Tawarghan families in Benghazi. So far in 2019, nearly 4,300 individuals have been assisted with CRIs in Benghazi. UNHCR also met with the Tawargha local council to discuss the current humanitarian situation in Tawargha and the dignified, voluntary and safe return of IDPs to the town once conditions allow.

In addition, with its partner the Norwegian Refugee Council, UNHCR is providing shelter rehabilitation support to 200 internally displaced persons in Benina, Benghazi.

Registration in Libyan detention centres continued throughout the week.

Over the past few days, UNHCR has registered persons who are detained in the central region, particularly in Kararim and Al Khums detention centres. So far this year, UNHCR has registered 7,179 individuals, including 3,523 in detention centres. UNHCR and partners have also conducted nearly 950 monitoring visits, while noted that access remains restricted. Some 5,300 refugees and migrants are detained in Libya. UNHCR continues to call for an end to detention.