UN evacuates refugees from Somalia trapped in Libya's war

Tripoli: The United Nations refugee agency evacuated 325 African refugees on Wednesday from Qasr Ben Gashir detention centre in southern Tripoli because of deteriorating security and escalating violence.

The refugees - mainly Eritrean, Sudanese and Nigerian - were taken to a detention centre in Zawiya, a town west of the Libyan capital, where they were at "reduced risk", the UNHCR said in a statement.

The latest evacuation, which followed a protest and violence at the facility on Tuesday that left 12 injured inmates needing hospital care, brought to 825 the number of refugees and migrants transferred farther from clashes in the past two weeks. The agency called for the release of the remaining 3000 in custody.

"The dangers for refugees and migrants in Tripoli have never been greater than they are at present,” said Matthew Brook, UNHCR deputy chief of mission in Libya. “It is vital that refugees in danger can be released and evacuated to safety.”

More than 3600 jailed migrants have been trapped in the capital since forces from the east of the country started an advance to capture it, the United Nations said.

Earlier, Libyan officials opened the doors of a detention centre for illegal migrants in Tripoli, but frightened Somalis and other sub-Saharan Africans said they had decided to stay there for fear of getting caught up in fighting engulfing the capital.

"We don't want to leave... We have no place to go," said a 20-year-old migrant who gave his name as Daoud, sitting on a mattress in a packed warehouse where 550 migrants have been held.

His pregnant wife sat with other women in a different room also lacking air conditioning, trying to endure the sweltering heat.

In the quieter eastern Tajoura suburb, the manager opened the gate of his detention centre housing migrants from sub-Saharan countries such as Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and some Arab countries. Everyone stayed, surviving on one meal of pasta a day. On a good day, they get two.