Libya’s stateless Tuareg: A forgotten human rights crisis at ‘risk of imminent explosion’

Thousands of Tuareg people in southwestern Libya exist as a stateless population, denied citizenship and fundamental rights despite being born and raised in the country. Their predicament dates back decades, when many settled in Libya fleeing droughts in the Sahel, only to face unfulfilled promises of naturalization from Muammar Gaddafi's regime. After the 2011 uprising, their situation worsened as they were stigmatized for their perceived loyalty to the former government. This deep-rooted marginalization has created a forgotten human rights crisis, leaving generations without official identity and fueling instability in the region.