Presidential council of Libyan government condemns bombing of civilian neighborhoods in Tripoli

Tripoli, Libya (PANA)   -  The presidential council of the Libyan national unity government Tuesday condemned bombings carried out by the army's general command forces based in Benghazi (eastern Libya) against apartment buildings in the Salaheddine area in Tripoli, killing and injuring children.

The Libyan national unity government said in a statement that the relevant services had come to "mention, in collaboration with international humanitarian organizations, these crimes to bring the perpetrators to justice".

The attack was carried out concomitantly with strikes against Matiga international airport in Tripoli and comes only a week after "another similar crime in the area of ​​Fernaj that had three children killed", said the statement.

It insisted on the need for "a vigorous response on the battlefield with respect for the Geneva Conventions".

"These crimes have become continuous and methodical acts aimed at terrorizing and frightening civilians in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and all international conventions.

“Bombings against residential areas are carried out by drones, after the failure of militias to advance on the battlefield and after they had been repulsed by the forces of the government of national unity recognized by the international community before they are totally eradicated," the statement said.

The presidential council has tasked the UN Mission in Libya with to carry out a serious and effective exercise to protect civilians and not just to make press releases to mitigate threats against civilians.

"Every day that passes without taking serious measures to prevent these attacks will cause more deaths among civilians," said the statement, drawing attention to the fact that "these militias are encouraged to commit these crimes in the absence of a firm position of the international community''.

Since April 4, the suburbs of Tripoli have witnessed clashes between the Libyan national government and the Libyan national army of Marshal Khalifa Haftar who has launched a military campaign to take control of Tripoli and all the western region of Libya.

The clashes have killed more than 1,000 civilians and displaced more than 120,000, according to figures provided by international organizations.

-0-       PANA       AT/ IN/BEH/KND/RA   22Oct2019