United Nations: Misinformation Caused Protests Outside Our Offices in Libya

SadaNews - The United Nations expressed its grave concern late on Friday regarding "violent protests" that erupted outside its offices in Libya, attributing the cause to misleading and false information on social media about the international organization’s work in the country.

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated during a regular press briefing at UN headquarters in New York: "We are deeply concerned about the violent protests that occurred Thursday outside the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Support Mission in Libya in Tripoli," according to Reuters.

Dujarric added: "The United Nations strongly condemns any attack or threats against individuals or buildings... We are concerned about the spread of misinformation and false information regarding the work of the UN in Libya."

He described the fight against misinformation in Libya as "a significant challenge," calling for cooperation from social media platforms to address the issue.

Angry crowds

This comes amid a rising controversy within Libya regarding the issue of irregular migration, with growing popular and official demands for stricter measures to address the phenomenon.

Angry crowds gathered on Thursday afternoon in the Libyan capital Tripoli in front of the UN Refugee Agency's office, demanding its closure in light of news about resettlement cards distributed by the organization to refugees and illegal migrants in Libya, which some viewed as an attempt to settle the large numbers of migrants in Libya and halt their flow to Europe.

Additionally, other protesters stormed the UN mission’s office in the Janzour area west of Tripoli, before security forces intervened to prevent them from breaching the building, which housed both international mission staff and Libyan nationals.

Meanwhile, the UN Support Mission in Libya denied on Thursday the existence of any programs under the international organization for resettlement in Libya, stating that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees works to assist those fleeing wars by finding solutions outside the country, including evacuation to third countries and voluntary return when conditions allow.