UN alarmed by intensification of fighting in Libya

Fighting in Libya continues to escalate this week amid calls from the United Nations mission and other NGOs to the country for an urgent need for a humanitarian pause.

Attacks on civilians, residential areas and a prison break are just a few of a long list of violent incidents ongoing in Libya, according to the United Nations mission to the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, the UN’s political mission says it is alarmed by the intensification of fighting in recent days which resulted in casualties, and warned of a risk of further internal displacement of civilians.

The statement highlighted unconfirmed reports of revenge attacks including looting and torching of public and private properties in coastal towns recently re-taken by government aligned forces.

Their rivals, the self-styled Libya National Army commanded by Gen Khalifa Haftar was also condemned for indiscriminately shelling the capital Tripoli.

Last week, a UN agency official said an armed group also stormed a water control station in Libya to force the release of detained family members – this cut off the main water supplies to large parts of western Libya, including Tripoli.

The country has already confirmed 29 cases of coronavirus.