Prince Alfani, Libya medical coordinator for international aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF), insisted on Wednesday that the recent airstrike on a detention center for undocumented migrants near Libya's Tripoli, which left at least 40 people dead and 80 more injured, could have easily been avoided
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd July, 2019) Prince Alfani, Libya medical coordinator for international aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF), insisted on Wednesday that the recent airstrike on a detention center for undocumented migrants near Libya's Tripoli, which left at least 40 people dead and 80 more injured, could have easily been avoided.The charity called for the urgent evacuation of the most vulnerable migrant population, stressing that this was not the first time that people trapped in a detention center have gotten caught in crossfire.
"Last night's airstrike on Tajoura detention center, which is reported to have killed dozens of migrants and refugees, is a horrific tragedy that could have been easily avoided ... This is not the first time the migrants and refugees have been caught in the crossfire of the conflict in Tripoli with multiple airstrikes on or near detention centers across Tripoli since the conflict started in early April. Just eight weeks ago in Tajoura detention center shrapnel from the blast tore through the roof of the women's hanger and nearly hit an infant," Alfani was quoted as saying in a statement.
He explained that there were over 600 vulnerable men, women and children trapped in the Tajoura detention center at the time of the attack, and said that MSF teams had visited the center after the strike and saw 126 people in the cell that was hit.
"Those that survived are in absolute fear for their lives," Alfani said.
MSF called for the immediate evacuation of the people trapped in detention centers and slammed the EU policy under which migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea are returned to detention centers in Libya by the coast guard.
"The reality is today for every person evacuated or resettled this year, more than twice as many have been forcibly returned to Libya by the EU supported Libyan Coastguard. What is needed now is not empty condemnation but the urgent and immediate evacuation of all refugees and migrants held in detention centers out of Libya. Today, inaction and complacency have needlessly cost the lives of more vulnerable refugees and migrants," the MSF medical coordinator insisted.
The situation in Libya, which has been suffering from unrest and been divided between two governments for years, deteriorated on April 4, after the Libyan National Army, which is allied with the eastern administration, launched an offensive on Tripoli, which is controlled by the UN-backed Government of National Accord. Two days later, the latter announced a counteroffensive dubbed Volcano of Rage.
Migrant charities and humanitarian NGOs, MSF included, have repeatedly called for evacuation of detention centers in the country and slammed the horrible and unsafe living conditions there.
