By Samantha Netzband
Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter
TRIPOLI, Libya– Hundreds of civilians are nearing starvation in a neighborhood of Benghazi, Libya. Civilians are trapped due to the military blockade on the city and the on going fighting in their neighborhood, Ganfouda. Residents are lacking food, water, and electricity.
Libyan children. (Photo Courtesy of Mirror)
According to Amnesty International, civilians are mainly living on rotten food and dirty water. These supplies along with supplies of expired medicine are running out making the situation for Ganfouda residents dire.
Entry roads to the neighborhood have been blocked by Libyan National Army forces, and as airstrikes move closer and closer many are unwilling to leave their homes. The Libyan National Army forces have been fighting off Islamic militants and in the process both sides have allegedly violated international humanitarian law.
Because of the danger of the conflict, getting humanitarian aid to the families is growing more difficult. Islamic militants have also threatened to kill anyone under 14 in the neighborhood, which has added to the atmosphere of fear. There are many young children and babies in Ganfouda who do not have proper access to the nutrients they need to grow. As many of the residents have been trapped for 2 years, one resident was forced to give birth to her daughter 10 months ago. The baby has never had access to clean water. Magdalena Mughrabi, deputy director of Amnesty Internationals’ Middle East and North Africa Program is right when she says “time is running out for civilians in Ganfouda, who are being left to die trapped by the fighting.” Amnesty International is leading the push for residents of Ganfouda to get the humanitarian assistance they need.
For more information, please see:
BBC Africa – Libya: More than 100 Families at Risk for Starvation in Benghazi – 30 September 2016
Daily Star – Hundreds trapped in Libya’s Benghazi amid fighting: Amnesty – 30 September 2016
Fox News – Amnesty: Hundreds Trapped in Libya’s Benghazi Among Fighting – 29 September 2016
