Libya has been experiencing an unprecedented level of upheaval and violence since anti-government protests began on 17 February 2011. According to IOM and UNHCR, more than 530,000 people have fled Libya to neighbouring countries, including 251,000 to Tunisia, 215,000 to Egypt and over 60,000 to other countries. Military attacks are causing a large number of casualties. Continued conflict has made most areas west of Benghazi inaccessible by road, while access by air is limited by the operation of a no-fly zone.
The humanitarian community is responding with relief assistance. However logistical obstacles, especially access constraints, are limiting organisations’ capacity to reach the population. In light of this, on 12 April, the Humanitarian Coordinator declared the activation of the Logistics Cluster, with WFP as cluster lead.