50 migrants wounded in Libyan detention centre clash

UNHCR said the protest had been 'driven by frustration and anxiety'

Refugees have flocked to Libya to depart on boats for Europe, but many have ended up in detention centres. AP

At least 50 migrants were injured after a protest that was suppressed inside a detention centre in the Libyan capital Tripoli, the United Nations said on Friday.

The protest had been "driven by frustration and anxiety" as the migrants had been held for months "in extremely dire conditions," refugee agency UNHCR said.

"Around 50 people were reportedly injured when the authorities sought to suppress the protest. Two individuals were badly injured and transferred to Abu Salim hospital," UNHCR said, without giving more details.

A government official declined to comment, while the detention centre could not be for reached for comment.

Libya's west coast is a leading departure point in North Africa for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa fleeing wars and poverty.