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UNHCR Update Libya (17 January 2020)

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Highlights

On 16 January, eight individuals who were previously hosted at the Gathering and Depature Facility (GDF) agreed to be transferred to the urban community where they received assistance at the Community Day Centre (CDC) in Tripoli.

On 15 January, a total of 19 refugees and asylum-seekers were released from Triq Al Sika detention centre, following UNHCR’s advocacy. The group, comprising two men, 13 women and four children, were transferred to the CDC. They were provided with core-relief items (CRIs), cash grants and medical assistance.

Population movements As of 16 January, 947 refugees and migrants have been registered as rescued/intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard and disembarked in Libya. The majority of the population were disembarked at the Tripoli Commercial Port and Sabratha (80 km west of Tripoli). Over the weekend, there was a spike in rescues/interceptions at sea. This occurrence may be attributable to last week’s calm weather. UNHCR and its partner, International Medical Corps, continue to provide medical assistance and CRIs to persons at disembarkation points.

UNHCR response

Registration in Libyan detention centres continues. On 13 January, UNHCR conducted a registration visit to Triq Al Sika detention centre in Tripoli where 40 individuals from Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia were registered. So far in 2020, UNHCR has registered 563 persons of concern held at detention centres in Libya.

Since the onset of clashes in April 2019, some 150,000 civilians have been displaced from their homes. UNHCR continues to provide humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Libya. In 2019, UNHCR and its local partner, LibAid distributed CRIs to 43,387 IDPs and returnees; shelter kits to 12,707 IDPs and returnees; and provided cash grants to 921 internally displaced families.

There are currently more than 3,000 refugees and migrants being held in detention centres in Libya. Out of these, 2,039 are persons of concern to UNHCR. Since 2019 until now, UNHCR has conducted over 1,200 monitoring visits to detention centres. These visits allow UNHCR to register persons of concern, identify the most vulnerable for solutions in third countries, and provide humanitarian and medical assistance.