Friday 26 / April / 2024
Tunis: A total of 1,048 people have been killed and 5,558 others injured during fighting in and around Libya's capital Tripoli, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. "As the Tripoli crisis enters its fourth month, the toll is 1,048 dead, including 106 civilians, and 5,558 injured, including 289 civilians," WHO tweeted. "WHO continues to send doctors and medical supplies to help hospitals cope. Our teams have performed more than 1,700 surgeries in 3 months," it said. Forces loyal to Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar began an offensive against Tripoli in April, marking a deep escalation in the country's political crisis. The internationally-recognised unity government led by Prime Minister Fayyaz Al-Sarraj is based in the capital. Meanwhile, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Tuesday called for an immediate cease-fire in southern Libya following tribal fighting. "UNSMIL is greatly concerned about ongoing hostilities in Murzuq that have regrettably caused several casualties," the Mission said. Murzuq, a town located some 780 km south of the capital Tripoli, has been witnessing tribal clashes since Monday that have killed and injured several people. Since the fall of its former dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has struggled to make a democratic transition and has faced chaotic infighting and political instability. The country is currently politically divided between the UN-backed government in Tripoli and a parallel administration allied to Haftar.
