Advisory from the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli

22 January 2019 – Tensions from the clashes in southern Tripoli have disappeared as the situation in Tripoli has returned to normal. No Filipinos were among the casualties in the latest clashes.

But anywhere when clashes take place, there is always the danger to innocent civilians of getting hit and injured in the crossfire, or becoming victims of indiscriminate shelling.

Thus, OFWs should exercise utmost care to flee from areas of clashes wherever they take place because of risk of crossfire and indiscriminate shelling.

The safest place to stay during clashes is indoors. It is best to anticipate clashes and to move to another city district of Tripoli outside the reach of shelling before the clashes begin.

During the latest clashes in Esbea, nurses at the ICU of Esbea Hospital reported that an unknown man in gown asked for Panadol (pain reliever) and other anesthetics and pain reliever. According to the nurses, he must have been a drug addict posing as a militia man and wearing a medical gown.

Our Filipino medical staff should be aware that there are also armed attacks on hospitals. Lately, the World Health Organization Libya Office condemned an armed attack on the Al Jalaa Hospital in Benghazi which caused panic and anxiety on the patients and medical staff, as well as destruction to the physical infrastructure of the hospital. Earlier, armed men also attacked the Al-Jalaa Hospital in Tripoli. END