Al-Sarraj and UN envoy discuss ways to stop new crisis in Libya
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's Presidential Council chief, Fayez Al-Sarraj and UN Special Ghassan Salamé on Monday met in Tripoli to discuss how the United Nations and its Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) could assist the country to overcome ongoing armed clashes which in the past four days claimed at least 46 lives.
In a tweet, the UNSMIL stated that it will "continue to work from Tripoli during this difficult and critical phase."
A new report indicated there were 32 deaths and 50 persons wounded on the side of forces loyal to the Government of National Accord, while the Libyan National Army lost 14 fighters.
The forces of the GNA announced on Sunday the launch of a military operation called Volcano of Wrath, a counter-offensive against the army of the interim government led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday that 2,200 people have been displaced by the fighting in Tripoli and that many civilians could not access essential emergency services.
UNSMIL has called on the opposing forces to observe a two-hour humanitarian truce on to allow the Libyan emergency services and Red Crescent to evacuate the wounded and the people trapped in the fighting areas of Wadi Rabi, Gasr Ben Gachir and Al-Aziziya around Tripoli. But the appeal was not heeded.
-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/AR 8Apr2019
