Sunday, February 27, 2011

Estimate that more than 100 thousand people have fled Libya

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned today that at least 100 thousand people have fled the violent repression in Libya. On Saturday the Tunisian government reported that about 40 thousand people had crossed the border since 20 February, over a 10 000 last night, the UNHCR said in a statement.

According to the Tunisian government of the 40 thousand people have sought refuge in Tunisia, 18 000 are Tunisian, 15 thousand Egyptians, two thousand 500 Libyans and two thousand Chinese. Meanwhile the authorities in Egypt have been quantified to 55 thousand people have crossed the border that includes about 46 thousand Egyptians, Libyans and two thousand 100 thousand 900 in six other countries mainly in Asia.

"We are committed to assisting any person escaping from Libya", said the High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, and called upon the international community to respond generously and quickly and offer their assistance to these governments to tackle humanitarian emergencies. In addition, UNHCR staff approached the Libyan side of the border with Egypt to talk to the police and told them they had defected from the government and now offered their services to local tribal leaders.

UNHCR met to these local leaders who stressed the need for humanitarian assistance in the area and warned of shortages of food and medical equipment, the agency said. According to these tribal leaders, UNHCR said, Africans have been treated with suspicion in Libya because of reports that Muammar Gadhafi has hired mercenaries from Saharan Africa to massacre its people.

UNHCR warned that eight thousand refugees and about three thousand asylum-seekers live in Libya, who are extremely vulnerable right now.

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