The current wave of anti-authoritarian protests sweeping Arab countries reached Libya in February 2011. Unlike other countries in the region, the events in Libya evolved into an armed conflict between formations defending the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and the rebellion movement. The regime has already lost effective control on the eastern regions and heavy fighting is ongoing in various other parts of the country.  In recent months the front lines have shifted towards Western Libya, while the ongoing battle for the Nafusa Mountains continues on different fronts.

Since early April 2011, over 60,000 refugees have streamed out of the Nafusa Mountains towards southern Tunisia, citing continued violence and reprisals and inability to obtain basic commodities, primarily settling in the axis of Tataouine, Medinine and Dehibah. Additionally, UNHCR estimates that up to 100,000 people could be internally displaced within the Nafusa Mountains area. The situation remains fluid with hundreds of Libyans crossing the border between Libya and Tunisia daily.

DRC along with UNHCR co-leads the Protection Cluster for Western Libya and it plays an active role in protection monitoring and developing tools/policy response for cluster members.

In Tunisia DRC works both to help Libyan nationals who have crossed the border into Tunisia and Third Country Nationals originating from countries in Asia and Africa , a majority being from sub Saharan Africa.

Photo by A. Duclos / UNHCR.