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Pinoy Abroad

Pinoys, over 1,000 others flee strife-torn Misrata, Libya


Having fled the besieged Libyan city of Misrata, 24 Filipinos along with more than 1,000 other migrant evacuees are expected to arrive Thursday in the eastern city of Benghazi, an international organization said Thursday. In a statement, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the Ionian Spirit — the third IOM-chartered ship for this purpose — left Misrata on Wednesday night with the evacuees including 586 Nigeriens, 239 Libyans, 92 Nigerians, 26 Bangladeshis, 16 Pakistanis, and others hailing from Egypt, Chad, Algeria, and Ukraine. The ship is also transporting the bodies of award-winning photojournalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, who died Wednesday in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Misrata. Also being repatriated to Benghazi is the body of a Ukrainian doctor. Calling for a ceasefire, the United Nations on Tuesday reported that at least 20 children had died in attacks staged by government forces on rebel-held parts of Misrata. 900 migrants In Benghazi, the IOM is preparing to assist a group of some 900 migrants who were evacuated Wednesday from Misrata onboard a Turkish ship. Including nationals from the Philippines, Niger, Egypt, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sudan, the migrants were evacuated from the harbor area, which remains exposed to the threat of mortar and sniper fire. The organization said it is also planning a fourth trip to evacuate migrants from Misrata. Red Star One, another IOM-chartered ship, is being loaded in Benghazi with some 500 tons of food and medical supplies for Misrata. So far, IOM said it has evacuated over 3,100 people from Misrata, partly funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Office, Britain’s Department for International Development, and the German government. The group however noted the need for additional funding “as increasing numbers of desperate stranded migrants and third country nationals are expected to make their way the harbor area in Misrata in the hope of being evacuated." — With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS, GMA News

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