Libya’s Humanitarian Crisis Grows

The Takeaway

International humanitarian agencies are sounding the alarm in Libya, where fighting has cut off access to vulnerable populations. Aid officials say the eastern city of Misurata is facing water and electricity shortages as hospitals struggle to care for those who have been wounded by fighting. There are warnings that food is in short supply in many parts of Libya.  “The situation of civilians in and around Ajdabiya, Misurata and other locations where active fighting continues remains of great concern,” the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement. “The presence of assistance actors inside Libya remains very limited due to prevailing security conditions.” Roshan Khadivi  is a  UNICEF  spokeswoman working on the border of Libya and Tunisia. Mark Ward  is the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance at  USAID.

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