Amid conflict, more than 50 Filipinos in Libya already eye repatriation, DFA says

OFWs from Libya INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – At least 51 Filipinos in the strife-torn country of Libya have volunteered to be repatriated since the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised crisis alert level 3.

“There are now 51 Filipinos who have registered in the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli for voluntary repatriation since alert level 3 was raised on May 29, 2014,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in a press briefing Monday.

“We will be sending an augmentation team anytime this week, to augment embassy personnel and the rapid response team and they will be meeting with the employers, officials, and the Filipino community,” he said.

The security situation in Libya has deteriorated in the past days after a former military general and troops loyal to him launched an attack against militiamen in Benghazi City.

Heavy fighting has been reported in the city by Aljazeera news agency as the two sides clashed.

Peace and security in Libya has been unstable since the 2011 revolution that ousted and killed long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

According to records of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas there are at least 2,700 Filipinos in Libya as of December 2012.

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