IOM is today urgently appealing to the international community to
continue to help tens of thousands of migrants who have either fled
violence in Libya or been left stranded inside the country in a
desperate situation.

The agency, which has appealed for a total of USD 150.2 million,
has received nearly USD 75.5 million to date.

Most of the additional money will be used to help evacuate
migrants who have managed to reach neighbouring countries to return
home.

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IOM has helped nearly 136,000 migrants from 45 countries to
return to their home countries in an operation supported by
governments and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since
28 February.

In the three months since the crisis began, more than 805,000
people have crossed into Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Chad and Algeria or
have arrived in Italy, Malta and Sudan.

Although fewer migrants are now crossing into Tunisia and Egypt
on a daily basis, thousands of migrants remain stranded at Libyan
borders, waiting for evacuation.

"Funds will also continue to be needed to help rescue migrants
unable to flee the violence inside Libya," according to IOM
Director of Operations and Emergencies Mohammed Abdiker.

IOM has already rescued nearly 6,300 migrants and wounded
Libyans by sea from the port city of Misrata and more than 500
migrants from Benghazi to Alexandria in the early stages of the
crisis.

Over 20,000 migrants have also been evacuated by IOM by road
from the eastern city of Benghazi to the Egyptian border at Sallum
and from the Libyan capital, Tripoli, to Ras Adjir on the Tunisian
border.

While more migrants are expected to escape, especially into
Chad, Niger and Tunisia in the coming weeks and months, tens of
thousands of others remain stranded in Libyan cities including
Gatroun, Sebha, Tripoli and Misrata.

Of particular concern are a group of between 20,000 to 30,000
Chadians, reported to be mainly women and children, in a dire
situation without food, water, shelter and health care in Gatroun.
IOM is continuing efforts to access this group situated about 1,000
kms from the Libyan-Chad border.

"The distance to their location, along with the remoteness of
places like Faya and Kalait in Chad and Dirkou in Niger, where many
thousands of migrants are arriving once they have safely crossed a
border, mean any operation to help them is a logistical challenge
requiring significant financial support," says Mohammed
Abdiker.

"As the crisis drags on and the plight of migrants inside Libya
worsens without adequate access to basic needs such as food, water
and shelter, it is imperative that we get help to them with utmost
speed," he adds.

The IOM appeal also covers other humanitarian activities in
response to the crisis. This includes vital psycho-social
assistance for migrants, many of whom have suffered violence in
their flight, who have been in fear for their lives or who have
witnessed others being killed; travel health assistance for
evacuees, humanitarian assistance to migrants stranded at
Libya’s border with its neighbours, as well as the
stabilization of local communities in border areas where migrants
are arriving.

For further information, please contact:

Jemini Pandya

IOM Geneva

Tel: + 41 22 717 9486

       + 41 79 217 3374

E-mail: "mailto:jpandya@iom.int">jpandya@iom.int 

or

Jumbe Omari Jumbe

Tel: + 41 22 717 9405

       + 41 79 812 7734

E-mail: "mailto:jjumbe@iom.int">jjumbe@iom.int