UN mission denies Libya resettlement plans after Tripoli office stormed
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya denied on Thursday it operates resettlement programs for irregular migrants in the country after demonstrators stormed its Tripoli headquarters and blocked the UN refugee agency office with sand mounds, warning that misinformation is inflaming tensions.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya on Thursday denied operating resettlement programs for irregular migrants inside the country after protesters stormed its Tripoli headquarters and barricaded the UN refugee agency office with sand. The mission issued a statement expressing concern over “the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech” regarding its work, which it said has contributed to heightened tensions and incitement against UN national and international staff.
Official rejection of resettlement
Libya’s Foreign Ministry and senior state officials have categorically rejected any migrant resettlement plans, with Head of the High Council of State Mohamed Takala, Presidency Council member Abdullah al-Lafi, and Administrative Control Authority head Abdullah Qaderbouh all opposing the resettlement of irregular migrants in the country. The UN mission stressed that “none of its agencies, including UNHCR, implement any resettlement programmes to Libya,” stating that such allegations are “categorically false” and that UNHCR works with Libyan authorities to identify solutions outside the country for people fleeing war.
Security crackdown and coastal routes
Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of East Libya-based forces, on Tuesday ordered security agencies to end “the illegal presence” of irregular migrants, while local authorities in the western city of Zuwara announced a temporary night curfew on foreign residents. Approximately 900,000 migrants and refugees were living in Libya as of mid-2024, the majority from Sudan, according to the International Organization for Migration.
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Irregular migration remains active in northwestern Libya along the Mediterranean coast, particularly in the cities of Qarabulli, Sabratha, and Zuwara, where armed groups exploit the country’s political division and security vacuum. The UN mission called on all parties to respect the inviolability of UN premises and staff in accordance with international law.
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