The International Organization for Migration has hailed Vietnam for the emergency efforts it took to evacuate its migrant workers in Libya out of the unstable turmoil-struck African state.

Marc Petzoldt, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Tunisia, said the violence in Libya has forced around 100,000 people to flock to Tunisia’s border region with Libya.

Most of them were Bangladeshis and Egyptians, and the rest came from other countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand, he said.

Petzoldt said Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister has come to Djerba, Tunisia to bring Vietnamese workers home. The IOM will cooperate with Vietnamese officials to repatriate the workers, Petzoldt told Thanh Nien in an interview on Saturday.

Countries around the world are trying to help their citizens flee Libya amid a violent unrest.

Vietnam had 10,000 workers in Libya. National carrier Vietnam Airlines on Friday bring five tons of cooking and water to Djerba to provide for Vietnamese workers and other nationals waiting to return home.

Local media said there were still 175 Vietnamese workers in Libya on Saturday. They are expected to be brought home by Monday.