UNHCR Update Libya (7 October 2019)
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The Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF) currently hosts 907 individuals.
The next evacuation from the GDF to the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Rwanda is scheduled planned for next week. UNHCR continues to call on the international community to provide additional solutions in third safe countries for refugees stranded in Libya.
On 2 October, UNHCR in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and partners, conducted the first relocation of 15 individuals from the GDF to the Community Day Centre in Gurji.
They were all part of the group who arrived spontaneously to the facility in the month of July. This is the first group that receives the urban assistance package which includes medical assistance, core-relief items (CRIs), including hygiene items and clothes, cash and targeted shelter support.
So far in 2019, 1,540 refugees and asylum-seekers departed from Libya for solutions, including a total of 1,169 persons who were evacuated and another 371 persons departed under UNHCR's resettlement programme.
Population movements
As of 7 October, 7,144 refugees and migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) and disembarked in Libya. In September, 1,120 refugees and migrants were disembarked in Libya.
This mark a slight decrease when compared to data collected in August (1,380 individuals). The latest rescue/interception operation took place on 1 October, when 102 refugees and migrants were disembarked by the LCG in Al Khums.
UNHCR and its partner the International Medical Corps provided medical assistance and CRIs to persons disembarked. Recently, boats have departed from areas west of Tripoli near Zwara and east of Tripoli near Zliten and Garabulli.
UNHCR response
UNHCR continues to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees throughout Libya. Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR distributed CRIs to over 20,300 IDPs living in Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Zwara, Azzwya, Ghat or Murzuq.
In addition, UNHCR distributed over 10,400 shelter kits that are supporting IDPs and returnees to maintain and renovate their houses and shelters. Another 5,060 individuals were supported with regular cash-based assistance.
There are 45,600 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Libya. So far this year, UNHCR has registered 7,300 individuals, including 3,582 persons in detention centres. Despite restricted access, UNHCR and partners have conducted nearly 1,000 monitoring visits to detention centres.
Over 5,200 refugees and migrants are detained in Libya, including 3,700 persons of concern. UNHCR continues to call for the end of detention in Libya and stands ready to support Libyan authorities with a strengthened urban response.
(Source: UNHCR)
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