LibyaPolitics

Over one million children in western region at risk amid grave violence

Around 1.5 million children in Tripoli and the western region face serious risks amid the violence that erupted between power rivals April 4, warned Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, UNICEF Special Representative in Libya Tuesday.

“UNICEF calls on all parties to the conflict to protect every girl and boy at all times and keep them out of harm’s way in line with International Humanitarian Law,” Ghandour said in a statement.

He urged the fighting parties not to recruit or use children as weapons of war during the conflict, which constitutes a serious violation against children.

“UNICEF remains on the ground in Libya during this critical time to provide -with its partners- the needed support to the children and their families,” the statement added.

Years of fighting between General Commander of Libyan National Army (LNA), Khalifa Haftar, in the east and head of Tripoli-based Government of the National Accord (GNA) Faiez al-Sarraj culminated in Haftar’s instructions to his army to march towards western Libya to “liberate Tripoli from the armed groups.”

Since its beginning, the crisis has killed at least 47 people and wounded 181 others, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Tuesday.

The WHO also condemned the killing of two doctors who had been providing “critically needed services to civilians in Tripoli.”

The death toll has increased earlier this week due to the escalation of the clashes in the western region.

On Monday, an airstrike targeted Tripoli’s only functioning airport, Mitiga, and the UN blamed the attack on forces loyal to Haftar while trying to seize the capital.

This comes along with the fighting surrounding Tripoli International Airport, which has not been operational for years, and the GNA reported its loss to the LNA Monday.

“Armed clashes have been concentrated in areas close to Tripoli, with both sides using artillery shelling, airstrikes, anti-aircraft missiles and heavy shooting in residential areas,” according to the CNN, which has read a Health Sector Working Group Libya’s situation report.

Further, armed groups, believed to be affiliated to the Islamic State, attacked al-Fuqaha town, southeaster Tripoli, killing two persons late Monday.

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