Doctors Without Borders

The battle to oust the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from its stronghold of Raqqa is creating daunting challenges for aid groups responding to the latest humanitarian crisis in the Syrian conflict.

Two NGOs told BIRN that Croatian police only react to reports of violence against refugees at the border after accusations of beatings and photographs of injuries are publicised in the media and on social networks.

An acute outbreak of cholera-related cases in war-torn Yemen has claimed the lives of at least 34 people in the past two weeks with over 2,000 people still sick, WHO has said. Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders has warned that the outbreak could spiral out of control.

A huge fire has destroyed one of the biggest migrant camps in France housing 1,500 people, which started after a brawl involving hundreds of Afghans and Kurds, officials and police said April 11.

Humanitarian groups operating rescue ships off the coast of Libya picked up more than 700 migrants out of seven flimsy and overcrowded boats on April 5, the Italian Coast Guard said.

A broad spectrum of people rallied in central Athens Sunday in support of free expression, democracy, peace and 'green' development. About 50 nongovernmental organizations, including Greenpeace, Doctors Without Borders, ActionAid and Fair Trade Hellas, took part in this year's 'Break Free' event, which culminated in a march from Thiseio to Zappeio.

Some 970 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on March 2, the Italian Coast Guard said, as the numbers attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe continue to rise.

Even before the March 2 arrivals, more than 13,400 people had arrived on Italy's shores so far this year - an increase of 50 to 70 percent compared with 2016 and 2015.

The head of EU border agency Frontex on Feb. 27 criticized charities that rescue migrants off Libya, arguing that they encourage the traffickers who profit from the dangerous Mediterranean crossings.

More than 1,300 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean in one day alone, reported the Italian coast guard.

Crews of Italian and British naval and trade ships and non-governmental organisations participated in a total of 13 rescue operations. The traffickers loaded migrants in vessels unfit for long-distance travel.

Following the deaths of three migrants in less than a week and criticism from humanitarian groups, the government has started making progress in improving conditions at the Moria processing center on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos.