The migrants, including women and children, are stranded in Sabha, held by forces loyal to the fallen leader, and fear being caught in the crossfire if forces from Libya's new transitional authority storm the town.
"We are working on the possibility of evacuating them either by air
or road, possibly to the Chad border. We would need escort security," Jean-Philippe Chauzy, spokesman of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), told Reuters.
or road, possibly to the Chad border. We would need escort security," Jean-Philippe Chauzy, spokesman of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), told Reuters.
The numbers have grown since IOM reported 1,200 on Tuesday.
African migrants have suffered increasing abuse and violence during the conflict, sometimes accused of being mercenaries fighting alongside pro-Gaddafi forces against rebels who toppled him, aid agencies say.
The IOM is trying to coordinate their evacuation with the National Transitional Council (NTC) and local authorities in Sabha, according to Chauzy.
"We think we've got the support of the NTC and now we are trying to put it together," he said.
In the meantime, a convoy with food, water and medical supplies was being organised for Sabha, from Tripoli by road.
The migrants are mainly from Chad, but also Niger, Somalia, Eritrea and Nigeria. They have gathered at an IOM transit centre intended for 500-600 people where they are living in desperate, overcrowded conditions.
"Sabha is a logical stepping stone on the route to Chad and Niger. These were probably migrants trying to reach Chad or Niger and ended up in Sabha with no possibility of heading south especially as the town is now surrounded," Chauzy said. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Rosalind Russell)
reuters.com
No comments:
Post a Comment