A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
The security situation in Libya has been highly volatile since May 2014 and, combined with the political instability in the country, continues to deteriorate to-date. The increase of the security incidents has caused hundreds to be killed and wounded in different communities across the country, particularly around Benghazi and Tripoli. The Libyan Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced that around 700 have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded by end of December 2014.
People living in the areas directly affected by the fighting in Benghazi and Tripoli are trying to move to safer areas, while others remain trapped. Libyan Red Crescent Society (LRCS) staff and volunteers are risking their lives to help evacuate those trapped, who had been locked until fighting calmed down. The MOH has warned of a possible collapse of the health system should the situation continue.
More than 10,000 Libyan families have been displaced from their homes in the conflict areas, and have dispersed in different directions, including the neighbouring country of Tunisia. To assist this situation, LRCS and ICRC have been facilitating the delivery of medical supplies to hospitals, however, the LRCS branches in Zawyia, Khoums, Ejmail and Zwara have reported difficulties in accessing and transporting medicines and medical supplies for chronic diseases and for nursing mothers.
Summary of response
Overview of Host National Society
Since the beginning of July 2014, LRCS volunteers have been responding to ongoing clashes, evacuating, transferring and receiving wounded at the hospitals. The LRCS volunteers are well known for this part of response in addition to dead body management. The LRCS branch in Benghazi has been evacuating bodies to the Benghazi medical centre and has activated its Restoring Family Links (RFL) team receiving many requests. The branch has also increased their activities regarding the awareness of the remnants of war and unexploded ordinance and has prepared three schools as temporary shelters for displaced people.
The LRCS branch in Tripoli is an active member of the crisis management committee created by the Tripoli local council and branch volunteers throughout the operation continued to assist families seeking safe areas and to facilitate the transportation of medical supplies as mentioned above.
In Zwara, in the west of the country bordering Tunisia, the LRCS branch provided packs of water to stranded migrants. In addition, many trucks, each containing 12,000 litres of water, were provided by the branches of Sebrata, Agilat and Ejmail to provide water for IDPs. The Zwara branch received 1,000 displaced families from Tripoli - all have been hosted with families or in empty apartments. In addition, the branch has transferred those wounded in clashes between IDPs and the security forces at the border to its newly opened clinic in Bukamash. Cases in need of intensive care were transferred to the Zwara hospital. The branch has three ambulances, which provide medical care to around 40 persons daily. One provides care around the border areas and the other two move from the border to the medical centres and vice versa. At the same time, on the other side of the border, the Tunisian Red Crescent undertook a joint operation with the LRCS Zwara branch with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the ICRC to respond to the urgent needs of Egyptians stranded at the border.
In Zawyia, the LRCS branch has taken care of more than 2,500 families (17,500 people) arriving from Tripoli - about 100 of them were hosted in student hostels of the university. In addition, the branch has also helped 200 foreign students from the Islamic Call University, who have been stranded and are being hosted by the Zawyia Alsofih (religious school) and some mosques.
The LRCS Nalut branch has also received displaced families, mostly hosting them with host families. They are monitoring the border crossing of Wazen Dhaiba and are keeping track of the situation of displaced people in other cities and villages of the Nfoosa mountains.