Response to the Libyan Armed Conflict - International Committee of the Red Cross Appeal 2011

June 30 2011 - A popular uprising against the four-decade long rule of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi began on February 16th 2011. Conflict between pro- and anti- government forces has resulted in instability. Hundreds of thousands of affected people have crossed the borders into neighbouring countries including Egypt and Tunisia. Affected populations both inside and outside of Libya are in need of food water sanitation and medical attention. With CIDA support the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will provide emergency assistance (food and non-food items water and sanitation and primary health care) ensure adequate surgical and medical care for the war-wounded and provide family-links services for violence-affected people in Libya and for those who have fled into neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt. On the basis of needs assessments carried out by Libyan Red Crescent/ICRC teams up to 500 000 internally displaced people and their host families are expected to receive food rations and 390 000 of them may receive household essentials including hygiene items. Together with the Egyptian and Tunisian Red Crescent Societies the ICRC seeks to respond to the unmet needs of migrants stranded at the borders with Libya and to the needs of Libyan refugees.