News Roundup - Tue, Jul 4, 2017 The Libya Observer Libyan authorities handed over two IS Tunisian nationals to their Tunisian counterpart via Ras Ajdair border crossing. According to Tunis Afrique Presse, the two were arrested in Libya's Al-Khums city after running away from Sirte and they will be sent ... |
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News Roundup - Tue, Jul 4, 2017 - The Libya Observer
The Libya Observer | First landing in Tripoli International Airport since 2014 The Libya Observer A Libyan Airlines plane touched down in Tripoli International Airport on Tuesday to mark the first landing in the airport since 2014. The airplane was carrying the Head of the UN-proposed government's Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Sirraj, and his ... Tripoli International Airport receives first flight since 2014 |
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First landing in Tripoli International Airport since 2014 - The Libya Observer
KEY FIGURES
240,188 Libyans currently internally displaced persons (IDPs)
1 249,298 returned IDPs (returns registered in 2017)
1 41,319 registered refugees and asylum-seekers in Libya
81,973 persons arriving in Italy by sea so far in 2017
2 1,718 sea rescue/hygiene kits distributed so far in 2017
OPERATIONAL UPDATE
On 28 June, a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack targeted a UN Convoy in Azzawya, 48km west of Tripoli. The four armoured vehicles, carrying 16 UN staff members, were traveling from Surman to Tripoli. No casualties were reported. Coordination for the safe return of the staff to Tripoli is ongoing. There are currently 14 UN organizations with 125 national staff in Tripoli. UNHCR is present in Tripoli and Benghazi with 34 national staff. International staff in Tunis (19) undertake temporary missions to Tripoli, on a rotational basis. This incident may have an impact on UNHCRs plans to expand presence in Libya.
The European Council met on 22-23 June 2017 and discussed, among other topics, measures to tackle migration and to protect the European Unions external borders. European leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the EU's comprehensive approach to migration, noting that loss of life and continuing migratory flows of primarily economic migrants on the Central Mediterranean route is a structural challenge and remains an issue of urgent and serious concern. Conclusions of the meeting also indicated that EU Member States will have to restore control to avoid a worsening humanitarian crisis and that IOM and UNHCR remain important partners, including to facilitate voluntary returns and improve reception conditions.
RESPONSE UPDATE
On 26 June, 133 asylum seekers and migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) and disembarked at Azzawya. They were transferred to Al Nasr Detention Centre (DC). UNHCR and the International Medical Corps (IMC) provided medical assistance to 45 individuals among the group, including a mother and her two week old baby. Meanwhile, the Libyan Red Crescent reported that 25 bodies were washed off the shores near Tripoli. So far, from January to May 2017, 6,243 people were rescued/intercepted at sea by the LCG, a decrease of 15% compared to the same period in 2016.
So far in 2017, UNHCR has registered 2,772 refugees in Libya, hence a total of 41,319 refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNCHR to date. The majority are Syrians (50%), Palestinians (16%) and Eritreans (11%). During the reporting period, UNHCR organized a training on child health and nutrition for young Sudanese, Syrian and Palestinian mothers. Participants also received food and NFIs assistance.
UNHCR organized a training on international refugee law and mixed migration for 24 participants, including UNHCR staff and partners as Cooperazione e Sviluppo Onlus (CESVI) and IMC. A health monitoring visit in June reported 150 cases of scabies at Triq al Sika detention center. UNHCR, IOM and partners contributed to the scabies treatment campaign at the detention facility. UNHCR provided 400 blankets and 800 sleeping mats to 320 detainees (of which 23 women); other partners provided anti-scabies fumigation and medication.
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UNHCR Libya Operation Update 23 - 29 June 2017 - Reliefweb
File: The conference was organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the last exodus of Jews from Libya as a result of the 1967 Six-Day Israeli-Arab War. Photo: pixabay.com/BRBurton23
JOHANNESBURG A member of one of Libyas competing governments has called for the return of the North African countrys Jewish community, and for Jews to be compensated for any losses they have suffered in the past.
Mohamed Ali Triki, a top official of Khalifa Ghwells National Salvation Government (NSG), made the call during a three-day conference held on the Greek island of Rhodes last week, the Libya Herald reported on Sunday.
READ:UN migration body urges EU to work harder in Libya
The conference was organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the last exodus of Jews from Libya as a result of the 1967 Six-Day Israeli-Arab War.
Triki said that under the Beida-based NSG which is competing with the Tripoli-based and internationally-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR) for control of Libya the return of Libya's Jewish community would be supported, adding that the community was part of the national fabric.
However, Ghwell angrily denied that Tikri was speaking on his behalf in Greece, saying that he had no prior knowledge of the Rhodes conference.
The conference, which was announced three months ago and organised by Rafael Luzon, the head of Libyan Jewry abroad, aimed to reconcile the exiled Libyan Jewish community with their native land.
There are now thought to be almost no Jews left in Libya.
In another development and some rare positive news for the war-torn country, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) reported that civilian causalities across Libya had more than halved in June compared to May.
It said nine civilians died and 26 were injured in June, contrasting with 18 fatalities and 50 injuries in May.
The UN report also accused, for the first time, Libyan National Army (LNA) Special Forces commander, Mahmour Al Warfali, of being involved in the killing of captives.
The LNA under General Khalifa Haftar is loyal to the HoR government in Tobruk.
UNSMIL has previously mentioned execution videos in its reports and referred to a Benghazi commander but had not mentioned Warfali by name.
However, UNSMIL said he was clearly identifiable in a new video that showed the summary execution of six alleged militants.
It is also reported that the corpse of a Tawerghan man found in a Tripoli camp for Internally Displaced People showed signs of beatings and fractures.
Overall, UNSMIL documented three deaths and seven injuries in Benghazi, two deaths and one injury in Zawia, one death and six injuries in Sabha, one death and three injuries in Misrata, one death in Tripoli and one in Hun.
African News Agency
29 June 2017
A member of parliament for Zawiya, Abdallah Alafi, said five male UN staff and two female staff had been held briefly and then released and would be transferred to Tripoli.
11 June 2017
Eight bodies were found on an inflatable craft that can carry up to 120 passengers.
08 June 2017
Production had fallen significantly following the 2011 revolution and the years of civil war that continue to ravage the country, but production had recently picked up.
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Libyan MP calls for compensation for Jews - eNCA
07:59 Monday 03 July 2017
The leader of an English terror victims group has welcomed assurances from the DUP that they will be pressing hard for compensation for victims, despite the issue not being mentioned in the Tory-DUP deal.
Docklands Victims Association chairman Jonathan Ganesh was injured in the IRAs 1996 Canary Wharf bomb, which used Semtex supplied to the IRA by Libya.
Some victims and their representatives expressed disappointment that there was no mention in the Tory-DUP deal of their campaign to secure compensation from Libya for arming the IRA.
But Mr Ganesh has now welcomed assurances given to him by DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
The MP said in an email that the DUP has many members that are themselves innocent victims of terrorism from the Troubles: This includes our party leader Arlene Foster who not only was injured in an IRA bomb attack on her school bus but also witnessed her father having been shot by the IRA.
The suggestion from some that the DUP would abandon innocent victims is deeply offensive to us and is completely and utterly wrong.
His party has supported compensation from the outset and he and Nigel Dodds have visited Libya and met government frequently about the issue, he said.
He added: In our current discussions with the government, we have raised in two separate meetings the need for this issue to be addressed in the current parliamentary term.
We have secured a commitment from the government to convene a further meeting involving the relevant minister(s) to discuss how we might take the matter forward, including on the issue of frozen Libyan assets in the UK.
We are establishing a coordination committee between our two parties that will enable this type of issue to be addressed at ministerial level.
The reason this matter is not explicitly mentioned in the agreement between the DUP and the government is because we have not yet reached an agreed position or established the legal basis for accessing Libyan assets given that these are the subject of international sanctions and covered by international law.
We remain committed to supporting the wider campaign by innocent victims to secure recompense and reparation from Libya and will seek to use our influence to secure a positive outcome.
Mr Ganesh said he felt reassured.
I have been working closely with Jeffrey and Nigel for 10 years and feel good that they have put this in writing, he said.
Lawyer Matt Jury, who is acting for Libya-IRA victims, initially expressed disappointment with the deal.
The DUP has assured us that the issue of compensation to the variety of victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism throughout the UK is very much on the agenda and that the government has agreed a mechanism through which discussions will be taken forward at a ministerial level on how a resolution with Libya can be best negotiated, he said.
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Canary Wharf victim reassured by Donaldson on Libya-IRA compensation - Belfast Newsletter