A Libyan human rights organization has raised alarm over what it describes as a sharp increase in violations against migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and foreign workers across Libya since the beginning of June 2026.

In a statement released this week, Libya Crimes Watch (LCW) said it has documented widespread arrests, raids on migrant residences, forced evictions, and physical and verbal assaults in both eastern and western parts of the country. The group also reported a surge in hate speech and incitement to violence targeting migrant communities.

According to LCW, its field teams have monitored large-scale arrest campaigns in several cities, including Tripoli, Benghazi, Ajdabiya, and Al-Bayda. Those detained reportedly include women and children. The organization said it has also documented incidents in which migrants were forcibly removed from their homes and subjected to abuse, including individuals with existing health conditions.

LCW alleged that the operations are being carried out by security agencies and armed groups affiliated with authorities in both eastern and western Libya. The group named the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), the Directorate for Combatting Illegal Migration (DCIM), and the General Directorate of Security Operations (GDSO), among others, as entities involved in the campaigns.

The organization further expressed concern over what it described as the involvement of civilians in some raids and assaults. It also cited widespread anti-migrant rhetoric on social media and in local media outlets, including platforms it said are aligned with authorities and official institutions. According to LCW, such messaging has contributed to increased hostility toward migrants and encouraged participation in actions targeting them.

One Sudanese migrant, identified by the pseudonym “Inas” for security reasons, recounted an alleged attack on her family. She told LCW that armed men entered their home, assaulted family members, used racist language, and forced them from the property before stealing their belongings.

“We are now on the street with nowhere to go,” she said, according to the statement. “We have a sick family member who needs care, and we have found no organization to help or protect us.”

LCW said Libyan authorities in both the east and west bear legal responsibility for protecting migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers and ensuring respect for their rights under international human rights law. The organization called for an immediate end to abuses, protection against violence and forced evictions, and a halt to deportations or forced returns that could expose individuals to persecution or other harm.

The group also urged the Office of the Libyan Attorney General to stop detaining people solely on the basis of their migration or asylum status and to investigate all reported violations. LCW called for those responsible for abuses, including individuals who ordered, participated in, or facilitated them, to be held accountable through fair and independent legal proceedings.

In addition, the organization appealed to international bodies, including the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to take urgent measures to protect migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers at risk in Libya.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and Libyan authorities had not publicly responded to the claims at the time of the statement’s release.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has urged governments and partners to strengthen urgently cross-border coordination to contain the ongoing Bundibugyo virus disease (Ebola) outbreak, warning that border closures alone risk driving movement underground and increasing transmission risks.

Latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures show 116 suspected cases, 321 confirmed cases, 48 deaths, and six recovered cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In Uganda, there have been nine confirmed cases, and one death to date.

“Viruses do not stop at borders, and neither should our response,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations. “When borders close, people often continue moving through informal routes where health screening and surveillance are limited. The most effective response is coordinated action that keeps mobility visible, safe and monitored.”

IOM warns that reactive border closures can reduce visibility of population movements, undermining health screening, surveillance, contact tracing and early detection efforts. Evidence from previous health emergencies shows that movement restrictions do not stop mobility but often redirect it towards informal and less-monitored routes.

This is the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC and the third largest on record, highlighting both the recurring nature of the disease and the importance of sustained preparedness.

The outbreak is unfolding in one of the world’s most complex humanitarian contexts. Eastern DRC is already affected by conflict and large-scale displacement. As of March 2026, 3.6 million people have been internally displaced in the country, including nearly 922,000 displaced in Ituri Province alone, where the outbreak is centred.

The confirmation of cross-border transmission between DRC and Uganda further highlights the urgency of coordinated regional action, particularly in areas where daily cross-border movement is essential for trade, livelihoods and access to basic services.

Data from IOM’s Flow Monitoring Registry at key formal and informal crossing points—including Cyanika, Busunga, Bunagana, Mpondwe, Goli, Vurra, Busanza and Ntoroko—shows that cross-border mobility continues despite restrictions, including through informal routes, reinforcing the need for data-driven and coordinated response measures.

People living in displacement sites, border communities and conflict-affected areas face heightened vulnerability due to limited access to healthcare, clean water and other essential services, increasing the risk of undetected transmission.

IOM is supporting governments and partners in DRC, Uganda and neighbouring countries by strengthening border health operations, population mobility mapping, disease surveillance, risk communication and community engagement in high-mobility areas.

Understanding where, why and how people move remains critical to preventing further spread. Public health measures must be informed by mobility patterns and coordinated across borders to ensure effective containment while avoiding unintended consequences that push movement out of sight.

Significant funding gaps continue to constrain the scale and speed of response efforts, including preparedness activities across the region. 

IOM welcomes the swift financial contribution from the United States, which is helping to strengthen frontline response efforts and save lives. Close coordination with the African Union, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO and United Nations partners remains essential to containing the outbreak.

While Ebola is a preventable and containable disease, additional resources are urgently needed to sustain surveillance systems, maintain border health operations, strengthen community-based prevention efforts and expand support in displacement settings.

Nearly 1.5 million persons are currently displaced in Haiti, according to the latest report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). More than half are women and girls, reflecting a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by escalating violence that continues to force families from their homes across both urban and rural areas. 

“Haiti’s displacement crisis is entering an even more alarming phase,” said Gregoire Goodstein, IOM Chief of Mission in Haiti. “The crisis is no longer confined to specific neighborhoods or regions. As violence spreads into areas once considered safe, more and more people are being forced to flee repeatedly, often with nowhere left to turn.” 

The record figure reported by IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) reflects a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis marked by repeated waves of displacement, with more than 18,000 people forced to flee renewed violence in Cité Soleil in May and a further 5,000 displaced in the country’s South-East Department in recent weeks. 

Armed attacks are no longer confined to traditional hotspots, increasingly affecting communities that had previously served as places of refuge and leaving vulnerable populations with fewer safe options as humanitarian needs continue to grow. 

In May, renewed violence in Cité Soleil displaced more than 18,000 people within days, pushing the number of internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince above 300,000 for the first time on record. Most fled to overcrowded spontaneous sites or sought safety with already vulnerable host communities. 

Just weeks earlier, armed attacks in Haiti’s South-East Department displaced more than 5,000 people in a region previously considered a refuge for those escaping insecurity elsewhere in the country. The displacement illustrates a worrying shift, as communities that once offered safety are increasingly becoming displacement focus points themselves. 

The growing displacement crisis is being compounded by continued forced returns. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 110,000 Haitians have been forcibly returned to the country, including women, children and other vulnerable groups.   

Upon return, many arrive with no resources and limited support, often to communities already struggling to absorb new arrivals or to areas affected by armed group activity. Vulnerable profiles remain prominent among returnees, including unaccompanied children, pregnant women and postpartum women, who continue to be received in fragile and often unsafe conditions, with limited access to basic services and protection. 

Across displacement sites and host communities, people report critical shortages of shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and psychosocial support. Children, pregnant women, persons with disabilities and female-headed households remain among the most vulnerable. Overcrowded living conditions and limited access to services are increasing protection risks, including exploitation and abuse, while leaving thousands exposed to worsening humanitarian conditions. 

With the Atlantic hurricane season now underway, humanitarian concerns are mounting. Flooding and severe weather could further worsen already fragile living conditions, particularly in overcrowded displacement sites where many people lack adequate shelter and access to basic services. 

Despite insecurity and challenging operating conditions, IOM continues to deliver life-saving assistance in some of Haiti’s most affected areas. Working alongside national authorities and humanitarian partners, IOM provides emergency shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support, water, sanitation and hygiene services, relief items and site management assistance to displaced communities. 

The needs of Haitian communities are clear: safety, access to vital services, legal identity and livelihoods that allow people to support themselves and their families. As violence spreads and displacement continues to rise, sustained investment in humanitarian assistance, recovery efforts and community resilience remains critical to helping vulnerable communities rebuild their lives and reduce the risk of repeated displacement.