The United Nations (UN) said on Friday it is deeply concerned by violent protests outside its offices in Libya this week and blamed social ​media for fueling disinformation about the world body’s work in ‌the country.

Hundreds of Libyan demonstrators blocked off the office of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Tripoli on Thursday during a protest against migrants who travel to Libya in search of ​work or passage to Europe.

It was the largest of several recent ​demonstrations against migrants, whom some Libyans blame for social and ⁠economic problems that have become more visible during 15 years of conflict ​and political division in the North African country.

“We are deeply concerned by ​the violent protests that took place yesterday outside the UNHCR and UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) headquarters in Tripoli,” UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a regular briefing at UN headquarters in New York.

“The ​UN strongly condemns any attack or threats against personnel or premises,” he ​said, adding: “We are concerned by the spread of misinformation and disinformation regarding the work of ‌the ⁠UN in Libya.”
Dujarric said countering disinformation in Libya was “extremely challenging” and called for co-operation from social media platforms to address the problem.
UNSMIL, said on Thursday there is no UN ​resettlement program in Libya ​and that UNHCR ⁠works to help people fleeing war with solutions outside the country, including evacuation to third countries and voluntary ​return when conditions allow.
Since the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-backed uprising in 2011, Libya ​has become ⁠a transit route for hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, often in sub-Saharan Africa, with many risking dangerous journeys across the desert ⁠or the ​Mediterranean.
The oil-dependent Libyan economy is also a ​draw for migrants seeking work, and many do menial jobs in sectors including cleaning and construction ​that Libyans are reluctant to fill.

–Reuters–