UN Mission in Libya condemns deadly air strike in Tripoli
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” an attack on a civilian-populated area in the capital city of Tripoli on Monday which killed three young girls, all sisters, and wounded their mother and a fourth sister.
In a statement the Mission said that “once again, innocent children pay the ultimate price”, in reaction to a Monday airstrike, reportedly conducted by a fighter jet belonging to the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which began an offensive on the southern outskirts of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, on 4 April.
UNSMIL added that it was “shocked by this attack”, noting “it is particularly egregious” that such an act comes days after an attack on the Equestrian Club, a riding club, in Tripoli, also resulting in a number of children injured.
Reaffirming that “it will not stand idly by”, the Mission urged Member States and relevant international institutions to take all necessary measures, “to put an end to the repeated blatant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law in Libya.”
The internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) has accused the forces of LNA led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar of being behind that bombardment.
The Presidential Council of the GNA also strongly condemned the air strike that targeted the popular district of Farjan in central Tripoli, saying "that criminal act committed by the fighter planes of a criminal (allusion to Marshal Haftar) has added to a series of recurrent aggression against airports and public and private properties, killing and terrorising civilians and violating international law and convention".
In a statement, the Presidential Council called on the international community to "take a clear position concerning the attack", calling on the UN Support Mission in Libya to take up its responsibilities.
It also called on human rights organisations to note of "these acts that violate human rights and international humanitarian law".
Since the LNA attacked Tripoli on 4 April, the fighting has claimed the lives for at least 1,093 people, left about 6,000 wounded and displaced 20,000 others, according to the United Nations.
-0- PANA AT/IN/BEH/MSA/MA 15Oct2019
