UNHCR said it had evacuated 130 people from Libya's Tripoli to Niger, marking the first evacuations to Niger in 2019 and bringing the number of evacuated persons since December 2017 to 3016.

UNHCR said the individuals evacuated to Niger had been detained in very dire conditions for months.

The UNHCR Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean, Vincent Cochetel, said those evacuated today exemplify once again the urgency of ending detention of refugees and migrants in Libya, adding "Until that happens, evacuations will remain quite literally a life-line.”

"All persons evacuated to Niger are hosted at UNHCR’s Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Niamey until they can be resettled." UNHCR said.

UNHCR also explained that following its call for 40,000 resettlement places to be made available for the Central Mediterranean situation, UNHCR has received a total of 39,698 places for vulnerable refugees in the 15 countries along the Central Mediterranean route.

"The efforts of resettlement countries in coming forward with offers of places for those trapped in Libya are crucial. However, with more resettlement places needed, and many more in Libya requiring urgent evacuation, UNHCR appeals to resettlement countries to speed their procedures for further places to become available." UNHCR indicated in a statement issues on Tuesday.