20110203
Xinhua
TUNIS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched Tuesday an "urgent call " to the international community in view of a massive humanitarian evacuation of tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the violence in Libya, Tunisian official press agency reported.

The situation at the Tunisian-Libyan border is "worsening by the hour" due to the large number of refugees, UNHCR said in a communique.

Some 75,000 people have entered Tunisia from Libya through the Tunisian border cross point of Ras El Jedir since February 20, bringing the situation at the cross point to a critical level.

According to UN sources, some 40,000 people, mostly Egyptians, are still waiting on the Libyan side.

In the communique, UNHCR called on the international community to deploy "massive logistic and financial means, including planes, ships and specialized personnel" in consultation with Tunisian and Egyptian authorities.