Thousands of people fleeing conflict and persecution have been detained by Libyan authorities. The UN refugee agency's chief has called for them to be freed as the agency boosts its presence in the North African country.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/D. Etter
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Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, on Sunday called on Libyan authorities to release asylum seekers and refugees held in detention centers, saying he was "shocked" by conditions at the facilities.
"I was shocked at the harsh conditions in which refugees and migrants are held, generally due to lack of resources," Grandi said in a statement. "Children, women and men who have suffered so much already should not have to endure such hardship."
Over the past two years, the UNHCR has managed to secure the release of more than 800 refugees detained by Libyan authorities, according to the UN agency.
Humanitarian crisis
According to the UN refugee agency, more than 1.3 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance, including internally-displaced people, migrants and asylum seekers.
Since 2011, approximately 300,000 Libyans have been displaced by civil conflict that engulfed the country in the run up to late dictator Moammar Gadhafi's violent overthrow and consequent assassination.
The UNHCR has vowed to bolster its presence in the North African country in a bid to tackle the ensuing humanitarian crisis. However, Grandi said solutions will not be easy.
"We should not underestimate the challenges of operating in an unstable and volatile environment such as Libya today," Grandi said. "Our ability to access and effectively deliver much needed protection and assistance is a constant challenge."
More than 1,300 migrants have been killed crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. The UNHCR has described Libya as the "main departing point" for migrants fleeing conflict, poverty and persecution.
Libya's rocky path to democracy
When Libya's former leader Moammar Gadhafi was toppled from power, many were optimistic that big changes were in store for the country. Six years later, the country is still in turmoil.
Image: Reuters/R. Casilli
Ousted after decades
For more than 40 years, Moammar Gadhafi was the eccentric strongman in power in Libya. He was known for his odd behavior - and for his regime's ties to international terror groups. Libya was one of the countries swept up by the Arab Spring, and protests eventually turned into a civil war. Gadhafi fled but was eventually captured and killed In October, 2011.
Image: AP
Chance for peace
After Gadhafi fell, the eyes of the world were on Libya in the hope that the country would have a smooth transition to democracy. By July 2012, democratic parliamentary elections had taken place, but it proved to be a challenge for the country's politicians to form a coalition and compromise on issues that would bring further stability.
Image: AP
Militias gaining strength
Another problem facing Libya in the post-Gadhafi era was the rise of violent militias. While various armed groups did band together to topple the dictator, they did not have a common cause to rally around after his death. Instead, they fought each other. Terrorist groups were also on the rise in Libya, and staged a deadly attack on the US embassy in Benghazi on September 11, 2012.
Image: Reuters
Deeply divided
Political divisions became deeper in the years following Gadhafi's ouster. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) is the internationally-recognized authority in Libya, but several factions on the ground are claiming a hold on power. Jihadist groups including the so-called 'Islamic State' have gained a significant foothold in the country, making any progress precarious.
Image: picture alliance/Xinhua/H. Turkia
Shifting sands
At present, the Tripoli-based GNA controls parts of western and central Libya while Haftar's Libyan National Army holds much of the northeast. However, areas of power are constantly shifting due to ongoing "Islamic State" violence and the country's many different smaller factions.
Looking for help
In recent weeks, Libya has reached out to NATO for assistance in strengthening the country's security institutions in an effort to end the power struggle between competing governments and militias. Leaders of two of the biggest groups - the GNA and the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army LNA - called for an end to the political and economic crises in the country.
