...

UN: Egypt and Tunisia to keep borders open for fleeing Libyans

Arab World Materials 23 February 2011 22:22 (UTC +04:00)

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said Wednesday it had received "positive indications" from Tunisia and Egypt that they would maintain open borders for people fleeing unrest in Libya, dpa reported.

"Given the continued reports of violence and human rights abuses inside Libya it is imperative that people fleeing the country are able to reach safety," said Adrian Edwards, a UNHCR spokesman.

Edwards noted that he considered there to be an "exceptional, emergency situation in Libya, by any standard."

UNHCR teams were operating on Libya's border with Tunisia, and a steady flow of people were fleeing the troubled country.

Aid was also being offered near the border by the Tunisian Red Crescent Society to those in need, while shelters and host families were taking in the people arriving.

The UN agency was still coordinating with Cairo to be able to operate on Libya's eastern border with Egypt.

Tags:
Latest

Latest