ICERAS

An atmosphere of excitement and anticipation spreads among the group of women, children, and men queueing outside a building in the Libyan capital Tripoli. Inside, staff members from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, are preparing to provide counselling, help with processing documents and to distribute travel items to the group.

A short while later, smiles and tears of relief break out among the group when they learn that they will be on board the first evacuation flight from Libya to Italy for two years. COVID-19 and border closures had meant no flights could operate in 2020, while for much of this year, humanitarian flights had been blocked by the Libyan Directorate for Combatting Illegal Migration.

Those selected include some of the most vulnerable asylum seekers in the country.  Many are women and children, survivors of violence or have a serious medical condition. All have faced terrible circumstances in their country of origin and, later, great danger and difficulties in Libya. read more