The United Nations’ (UN) Secretary General’s Adviser to Libya has expressed her outrage regarding the violence that erupted in Tripoli on Friday, as civilians, including women and children at a wedding celebration were killed during the clashes.
She said on Friday that the indiscriminate use of weapons in a heavily populated, urban area without safeguarding civilians is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a sanctionable offense.
“This fighting must stop! Civilians must be protected and perpetrators held accountable,” she added.
The clashes were renewed in the Libyan capital today between the largest militias in Tripoli. They used medium and heavy weapons during the clashes. As a result, the Maitiga international Airport was closed for fear of shells and missiles falling inside it.
According to the Spokesperson for the Ambulance and Emergency Services, Osama Ali, the death toll have raised 16 people, including 6 civilians and over 30 were injured during the clashes.
The United States (US) Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, called for the warring parties to exercise restraint and preserve stability for the protection of civilians.
Norland stressed that all actors must resolve their disputes through dialogue, not violence. He added that he supports the calls of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for all parties to maintain stability.
UNSMIL said it received reports of civilian casualties as a result of clashes between two armed groups in Tripoli last night.
“UNSMIL is deeply concerned about these developments and calls for an investigation into the incident and justice for the victims and their families. Any action that endangers the lives of civilians is unacceptable,” the mission said in a statement on Friday.
UNSMIL called on all Libyans to do everything possible to preserve the country’s fragile stability at this sensitive time.
“All actors must exercise maximum restraint, address their disputes through dialogue and abide by their obligations under national and international law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure,” it concluded.