Exodus of Berbers to southern Tunisia interrupted by border clashes
Fighting for control of a crossing point on the Tunisia-Libya border halts the exodus of ethnic Berber civilians fleeing from Libya's Western Mountains.
RAS ADJIR, Tunisia, April 29 (UNHCR) - Fighting for control of a crossing point on the Tunisia-Libya border appears to have interrupted the exodus of civilians fleeing from Libya's Western Mountains.
In Geneva, spokesperson Melissa Fleming told journalists that UNHCR was "very concerned that people fleeing Libya could be caught in the crossfire as government and opposition forces battle for control in the border area."
Before the fighting at the Dehiba crossing intensified on Thursday, UNHCR staff saw long lines of vehicles carrying ethnic Berber families waiting to cross into southern Tunisia. Dehiba is located some 200 kilometres south of the main Tunisia-Libya border crossing at Ras Adjir.
UNHCR staff were unable to visit Dehiba on Friday because of the security situation, but local partners said the queues had disappeared and nobody was crossing the border.
In the past month, more than 30,000 people have fled the fighting in the Western Mountains and crossed into Tunisia at Dehiba. More than 3,100 people crossed the border on Wednesday alone, according to UNHCR staff.
The large number of recent arrivals is straining the limited resources in the area. Camps established to shelter the refugees are filled beyond capacity. UNHCR's camp in Remada, with space for 950 people, was sheltering some 2,000 on Thursday evening.
UNHCR is reinforcing the camp to a capacity of 5,000 people. Fortunately, the vast majority of people are still being hosted by the local community. UNHCR is working with the authorities to expand the capacity of existing camps and to support host families.
In cooperation with Islamic Relief, the World Food Programme and local partners, UNHCR is planning to distribute food and non-food packages to thousands of refugees and to the local communities receiving them. The majority of new arrivals are women, children and families. UNHCR is also moving emergency supplies to the Remada area, including portable warehouses, tents, mattresses and other aid items.
Meanwhile, Fleming in Geneva said UNHCR had received reports from the Somali community in Choucha camp, near the Ras Adjir border crossing, that three Somali refugees drowned off the coast of Libya Thursday morning after an Italy-bound boat carrying some 280 Africans capsized in high seas.
The three who died were part of a larger group of 20 people who had left Choucha camp for Libya some 10 days ago in order to board boats to Europe. "These deaths add to the hundreds of people who have drowned or are missing in the desperate attempt to reach the safety of Europe from Libya," Fleming noted.
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Lack of funds threatening UNHCR's work in Libya, neighbouring countries
15 Apr 2011 ... ... According to Tunisian authorities at Dehiba border, 1,620 Libyans crossed on Wednesday alone. Over ... In addition we need funds to support the local communities in and around Ras Adjir, Dehiba, Remada, ...... -
Revision to UNHCR Supplementary Budget: The Libya Situation 2011 - July 2011
28 Jul 2011 ... ... reside in three camps set up near the border crossing of Dehiba, including 400 in the UNHCR camp of Remada, 810 hosted at the United Arab EmIrates’ camp and some 700 at the Qatari camp in Dehiba. ...... -
Concern mounts for refugees and asylum-seekers in Libya
5 Aug 2014 ... ... Some 30,000 people have crossed into Tunisia in the past week through its two border points with Libya, Ras Jedir and Dehiba, although reports indicate that the rate of arrivals has significantly ...... -
UNHCR fears for the safety of thousands of refugees in embattled Libya
5 Aug 2014 ... ... Some 30,000 people have crossed into Tunisia in the past week through its two border points with Libya, Ras Adjir and Dehiba, although reports indicate that the rate of arrivals has significantly ...... -
More civilians flee Libya's Western Mountains, new aid reaches the east
26 Apr 2011 ... ... These relief items are being provided by a UNHCR partner to vulnerable people awaiting evacuation to eastern Libya or to their countries of origin. Firas Kayal in Dehiba, Tunisia and Hélène Caux in ...... -
UNHCR chief returns to Tunisia to meet refugees from Libya
17 Jun 2011 ... ... On Friday, Guterres was scheduled to visit a camp housing ethnic Berbers who have fled into Tunisia at the Dehiba crossing to escape fighting in Libya's Western Mountains. He will also meet refugees ...... -
Invisible refugees: protecting Sahrawis and Palestinians displaced by the 2011 Libyan uprising. Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyet
8 Nov 2011 ... ... 10 May 2011.Geneva: UNHCR. UNHCR (2011BB) Southern Tunisia Dehiba/Remada, UNHCR Update # 6. UNHCR (2011CC) Southern Tunisia Dehiba/Remada, UNHCR Update # 7, 14/05/2011. UNHCR (2011DD) Revision to ......