Thursday, 4 July 2019

Plight of migrants in Libya

The recent callous, deadly and apparently arbitrary air raid in the Tripoli suburb of Tajoura has drawn attention to the over thirty detention centres in Libya. What was part of a process devised by the EU as a humane alternative to migrants risking their lives on the open sea has proved to be anything but humane.

Who was responsible for the raid is still a matter of conjecture. The Qatar-based al-Jazeera points the finger at the insurgent forces of Khalifa Haftar, who has the backing of Egypt and the UAE. (Qatar supports the UN-recognised Libyan government in Tripoli.) Haftar denies responsibility, but the stance of the United States in blocking a Security Council condemnation suggests that Washington may suspect an Egypt or UAE connection.


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