Libyan Brigadier-General, Rafi’ Al-Barghathi, Head of the Anti-Illegal Immigration Agency in the eastern region, said that the Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba cut off financial support to the agency.
During an interview with Russia’s Sputnik news agency, Al-Barghathi said the eastern region has witnessed an increase in the number of immigrants from Chad, Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, and Egypt.
The Agency in the eastern region works with the support of the Libyan National Army (LNA), in the absence of financial support from the Dbaiba Government. “All the shelter centers are doing their job to the fullest, but the Dbaiba government cut off all capabilities, and did not provide any financial or moral support to the device,” he added.
On 10 February 2022, the Libyan Parliament announced the unanimous appointment of Fathi Bashagha as the new Prime Minister. But Dbaiba warned that the appointment of a new interim government could lead to war and chaos in the country. He renewed his pledge to only hand power over to an elected government.
Libya is a major transit point for migrants, many from African countries, who are seeking better opportunities in Europe.
The International Organization for Immigration (IOM) designated the central Mediterranean route as the deadliest known migration route in the world. As more than 17,000 deaths and disappearances have been reported since 2014.
In 2021, at least 32,425 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya. At least 1,553 are presumed to have drowned last year, according to IOM.
Recently, Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) headed by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba prevented the German Envoy to Libya, Christian Buck from travelling to Misrata, according to the Africa Intelligence website.
Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The international medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or ‘Doctors Without Borders’ called for the evacuation of the most vulnerable migrants from Libya to safe countries.
“Since the start of MSF’s migration projects in Libya in 2016, we have repeatedly faced the same challenges: the impossibility of protecting migrants inside Libya, ensuring continuity of care for serious physical and mental conditions, and of rehabilitating victims of torture,” it added.
MSF called on European and North American states, among others, to offer protection to migrants currently trapped in Libya.
“A significant increase in the number of slots for resettlement to third countries of asylum should be promoted. Humanitarian evacuation and resettlement flights should be scaled up, and the relevant processes sped up, including quicker and smoother transit processes through facilities in Niger or Rwanda,” it recommended.
Recently, Member of the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR), Idris Omran, said that the Arab League formed a legal committee to study the legality of the Dbaiba Government (GNU). This came after GNU Foreign Minister, Najla Al-Mangoush, chaired the opening session of the 158th regular session of the Council of Ministers of Arab States.
Omran added that the GNU headed by Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba cannot be viewed as a legitimate government after the House of Representatives (HoR) withdrew confidence from it and formed another government and gave it confidence.