Tripoli, June 4 — Hundreds of Libyan protesters on Thursday afternoon shut down the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Tripoli, driven by concerns over what they described as the “settlement” of irregular migrants inside the country, according to local media reports and eyewitnesses.
The demonstrators gathered outside the agency’s headquarters in central Tripoli, chanting for the deportation of irregular migrants and rejecting any arrangements that could lead to their permanent stay in the country.
Video footage circulating on social media showed protesters blocking the compound’s entrances, with security forces deployed nearby.
No clashes or injuries were immediately reported.
The protests follow days of growing debate in Libya over the issue of irregular migration, alongside increasing public and official calls for action.
Demonstrators also called for continued protests and sit-ins until all irregular migrants leave Libyan territory.
The UNHCR had not issued an immediate comment on the incident.
Libya remains a key transit hub for migrants seeking to reach Europe across the Mediterranean, taking advantage of its geographic location and extensive land and sea borders. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
