UN Condemns Attack on IOM Facility in Libya

The United Nations has condemned the storming of one of its facilities in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, where migrants were present, describing the incident as a series of “deeply aggressive acts.”

 

The specific UN agency was not identified, but videos circulating on social media showed people forcing their way into the premises of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), ransacking furniture and driving occupants out.

 

In a statement on Monday, the IOM said the UN in Libya “strongly condemns the repeated incidents” that occurred at the service centre managed by a UN agency in Tripoli.

 

Libyan authorities have yet to publicly comment on the incident, although the UN said it acknowledged measures taken by the authorities to respond to the situation.

 

According to the UN, authorities had begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged attacks on staff and people accessing humanitarian services at the centre.

 

The UN stressed that such incidents must not be repeated.

 

The development comes amid growing tensions in Libya over the presence of migrants and allegations of plans to permanently settle them in the country.

 

Protesters have in recent months gathered outside the headquarters of UN agencies, including the IOM and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, demanding that the offices be closed and their staff expelled.

 

The UN urged the public to rely on reliable and verified information when discussing migration-related issues and reaffirmed its commitment to working with Libyan authorities and local communities.

 

Libya has faced prolonged instability and political division since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival governments controlling different parts of the country.

 

The instability has also enabled smugglers and traffickers to operate clandestine networks transporting migrants seeking to reach Europe by sea.