By Libya Herald reporter.
Tripoli, 10 May 2016:
The interim government of Abdullah Thinni based in Beida has approved a LD 2-million payment . . .[restrict]to help deal with the crisis caused by the flight of residents from Sirte.
Of the allocation, LD1.5 million is to cover basic necessities. This is to be paid, at a rate of LD 100 per family into their accounts. The rest will be used by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to cover additional expenses.
In recent days, it has been announced that 3,000 families from Sirte and surrounding areas had moved to Tarhouna and another 2,500 to Bani Walid. Municipal officials in both places have said they cannot take any more refugees and have called on the authorities, whether in Tripoli or Beida or Tobruk for help.
For its part, Tobruk says that it took in 150 Sirte families last weekend. A municipal spokesman was quited by the Libyan news agency LNA saying that some have been temporarily housed in girls’ dormitories while more adequate accommodation was sought.
It is estimated that over 80 percent of the population of Sirte and other towns and villages currently occupied by the so-called Islamic State, from Ben Jawad to Abu Ghrain, have now fled. Only the poorest with nowhere or no means to go are said to remain. Many have departed in the past week in expectation of an imminent attack either by the Libyan National Army or Misratan-led forces supporting the Presidency Council, or both.
Refugees from Sirte have reported having to hand over all their goods to IS on leaving the town and being told that their homes and belongings would be confiscated and sold. [/restrict]
