Zurich: More than 191,000 people have fled
the violence in Libya, where opponents of Muammar Gaddafi are
seeking to oust the veteran ruler, the United Nations said.
In total "191,748 people, mainly immigrant workers have
fled Libya,"the UN`s Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report citing figures
from the International Organisation for Migration.
As of Thursday the bulk of these, 104,275, had fled into
Tunisia.
However forces loyal to Gaddafi were in control of the
Tunisia-Libyan border and were slowing down the passage of
more refugees, OCHA added.
About 3,500 Bangladeshi workers had made it home by
Saturday from strife-torn Libya, but tens of thousands of
others were still stuck in the country with little prospect of
getting out soon.
A further 85,000 refugees had reached Egypt, Ocha said in
its report dated yesterday.
"Efforts to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance is in
place are critical as migrants continue to arrive from Libya
although in fewer numbers than before," the IOM said in its
own statement today.
Before the unrest began in Libya, there were some 2.5
million immigrants in the country, according to the IOM.
PTI
