The UN’s refugee agency has demanded Libya end the abuse of refugees and asylum seekers who have been targeted with security raids and arrests in the North African nation.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on the Libyan authorities to immediately address the “dire situation of asylum-seekers and refugees in a humane and rights-based manner.”

“Since the start of the security raids and arrests by the Libyan authorities in October, we have witnessed a sharp deterioration in the situation facing vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees in Tripoli,” said UNHCR envoy Vincent Cochetel, in a statement.

“The Libyan authorities must come up with a proper plan that respects their rights and identifies durable solutions,” Mr Cochetel said.

There are currently around 3,000 people sheltering outside the Community Day Centre in Tripoli, where the UNHCR and its partners have been providing medical assistance and other services, the UNHCR said.

“Their situation is very precarious. Many were affected by the raids, demolition of their homes, and have escaped from detention in terrible conditions. Others have joined the group hoping to be evacuated,” the statement said.

UNHCR said it had been given authorisation to restart humanitarian evacuation flights.

“This is a positive development for some of the most vulnerable refugees, who have been waiting anxiously for many months to depart. Our teams are already working to ensure humanitarian flights can restart as soon as possible. But we also need to be realistic: resettlement or evacuation flights will only benefit a limited number of people,” Mr Cochetel said.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) says it has evacuated 127 people from Misrata to the Gambia, mostly migrants who are among thousands of people waiting to return home through the organisation’s voluntary return program.

More than 1,000 vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers are currently prioritized for humanitarian flights and awaiting their resumption, UNHCR said, while urging the international community to “offer more legal pathways to safety outside Libya.”

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

Reports said Libyan police also launched a huge crackdown on migrants in the western seaside town of Gargaresh earlier this month, capturing over 5,000 individuals in just a few days,

UNHCR says it has limited resources to offer assistance such as cash or food relief.

“Together with other UN agencies, UNHCR stands ready to support an urgent plan of action that could help alleviate the terrible suffering of asylum-seekers and refugees in Libya,” the agency said. 

“UNHCR continues to call on the authorities to respect the human rights and dignity of asylum-seekers and refugees, stop their arbitrary arrest and release them from detention,” it said.