Libya clashes: New death toll reaches 174, 758 injured – WHO
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – At least 174 have been killed and 758 others injured, including civilians, since the beginning of the military offensive carried out by the Libyan army led by Marshall Khalifa Haftar near the capital, Tripoli, the World health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday.
A previous death toll released on Sunday by WHO said that 147 were killed and 561 others injured in the fight between the Libyan national Army forces and the army loyal to the government of national accord.
Extra surgery teams were sent to help hospitals receiving a large number of injured in the emergency and traumatology services, said WHO.
The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA) said that "the fighting displaced more than 18,000 people". HCR announced it provided emergency medical material to the Health ministry in a bid to help victims in the most affected in Ain Zara and Gasr Ben Ghashir in southern Tripoli.
The fighting has significantly affected civilians who are victims of the consequences of the war since the 17 February revolution of 2011 that overthrew the regime of former dictator Mouamar Gaddafi.
Efforts are made presently at the political level to end the fighting by obtaining ceasefire which is hindered by the refusal of Marshall Khalifa Haftar to withdraw his troops to their previous positions, a condition set by the presidential council of the Tripoli-based government of national accord.
Reports say that France and Italy, two countries involved in the Libyan issue, are working to stop their military actions.
The Qatari minister of foreign affairs, Cheikh Mohamed bin Abderrahman Al-Thani, on Tuesday said that his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, had recently told him that "Paris was working for the holding of a national inclusive conference in Libya".
The actions taken by the United Nations to end the Libyan crisis are deadlocked since the launching by the Libyan national army of a military offensive against Tripoli, days before the national inclusive conference due for 14-16 April to find consensus between Libyans on a calendar for the electoral agenda ending the transition in the country, a situation that forced Mr Salamé to postpone the conference.
-0- PANA BY/IS/MSA/VAO 16April2019
