An air strike on Tuesday (02 Jul) on the Tajoura Detention Centre, east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, left scores dead and dozens injured. The appalling toll speaks to the deep concerns, expressed repeatedly¸ by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) over the safety of people in detention centres.
Ongoing conflict in the Libyan capital has forced nearly 100,000 Libyans to flee their homes. UNHCR, working with IOM and other partners, has relocated more than 1,500 refugees from detention centres near combat to safer areas.
Before Tuesday night’s attack, Tajoura held at least 600 refugees and migrants – including women and children. Including the survivors at Tajoura, some 3,300 migrants and refugees remain arbitrarily detained in and around Tripoli in conditions that can only be described as inhumane~UNHCR