Tawergha IDPs forced out of Tripoli camp, UNSMIL condemns

“The UN in Libya strongly condemns the forced eviction of displaced Tawerghan families from Tariq al-Matar Camp early this morning, leaving them homeless for a second time in seven years,” the mission said in a statement.

“Entering an IDP camp while people are sleeping, demolishing homes and forcing people to flee, rendering them homeless, violates their dignity and their right to have protection under International Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws,” said Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General to Libya Ghassan Salame.

The mission called on Libyan authorities to “provide shelter and protection to the evicted IDPs, release those arbitrarily detained, and bring those suspected of having committed crimes to justice without delay.”

The mission also expressed willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected and work with the Libyan authorities to solve the crisis of all displaced people in the country.

The Association of the Families of Martyrs, Missing Persons, Detainees and Victims of Tawergha confirmed in a statement that “60 armed men and 20 vehicles of different types carried out an armed attack on Tariq al-Matar camp.”

It added that the armed men “attacked the camp and entered at dawn, terrorizing families, women, children and the elderly by shooting indiscriminately, disrespectfully searching the whole camp and stealing property.”