Tripoli, September 27 (Darfur24)
A cautious calm prevailed in several Libyan cities on Friday evening following a wave of mass demonstrations in Tripoli, Misrata, and other western cities demanding the deportation of migrants and refugees.
The protests were marked by acts of violence and vandalism targeting businesses run by foreigners.
Eyewitnesses said demonstrators in Misrata attacked the weekly market designated for foreigners, leading to the destruction and looting of several shops. Video clips verified by Darfur24 showed scenes of protesters vandalizing the market.
In Tripoli, hundreds gathered in Martyrs’ Square to demand the deportation of foreigners, reject their resettlement, and call for their exclusion from government jobs. In Misrata’s Clock Square, dozens also gathered and attacked a market owned by migrants.
“The Sudanese families here are living in fear after the escalation of popular calls to deport migrants and refugees. Some temporary shops run by Sudanese have been vandalized and evicted,” Mohammed Khater, a Sudanese refugee, told Darfur24.
Other Sudanese refugees reported a rise in bullying incidents targeting children in schools and on the streets, as well as intensified incitement campaigns against migrants on social media.
Libyan authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the demonstrations.
According to UNHCR statistics released last March, Libya hosts approximately 313,000 Sudanese refugees, distributed across cities in the east, south, and west, including Benghazi, Ajdabiya, Kufra, Sabha, Misrata, and Tripoli.