International Medical Corps Prepares to Deploy Team to Assist Those Fleeing Deadly Clashes in Libya

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

International Medical Corps is preparing an Emergency Response Team to deploy to the Egypt-Libya border, where a large number of evacuees are expected to flee fighting in Libya. The United Nations Tuesday called on neighboring countries in Africa and Europe to not turn away those escaping violence in Libya, while the Egyptian military set up a field hospital on the Egyptian side of the border at El-Salloum. Italy and Egypt are among the countries expected to receive an influx of asylum-seekers. The Italian Foreign Minister estimated on Wednesday that Italy could see as many as 300,000 Libyans fleeing to Italy. There are an estimated 1.5 million Egyptians working in Libya and the Egyptian security forces estimate that some 10,000 Egyptians are already gathering at the border between the two countries. International Medical Corps is deploying a team of medical personnel to El-Salloum to assess the needs and provide immediate medical assistance to returning Egyptian migrants as well as those fleeing the conflict in Libya. Should the violence escalate in the eastern part of Libya, International Medical Corps will be prepared to ramp up its assistance, and potentially access the eastern part of the country. Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi came to power 42 years ago in Libya and protests against his rule started one week ago in Libya’s second largest city, Benghazi. Clashes between protestors and Qaddafi loyalists intensified February 22 in the capital, Tripoli, indicating that this could be the deadliest in the string of uprisings in the Arab world. At least 233 have been killed, according to Human Rights Watch, while Internet has been cut off and foreign journalists are not allowed to enter the country. There are serious concerns about major military actions in the eastern part of the country, which could trigger a large number of refugees and IDPs. For more than 25 years, International Medical Corps has responded to the needs of those displaced by conflict, such as the 1994 Rwandan genocide and 1998 ethnic cleansing and conflict in Kosovo. International Medical Corps is currently working inside Iraq and throughout Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon to support displaced Iraqis, and assists thousands of refugees from Darfur on the Sudanese-Chadian border. In Pakistan, International Medical Corps is supporting the millions displaced by conflict and the recent flooding. Since its inception 25 years ago, International Medical Corps’ mission has been consistent: relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster, and disease, by delivering vital health care services that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information visit:  www.InternationalMedicalCorps.org