Several members of the House of Representatives strongly condemned the shelling of civilian sites in the city of Tarhuna and other areas in the west of the country by forces backed by the Government of National Accord.
In a Sunday statement, the MPs called on the international community to stop its support for the GNA, stressing that the perpetrators of these crimes should be held accountable.
They also praised the “patriotic role” played by the people of Tarhuna to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the city.
Earlier this month, Aguila Saleh, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Tobruk, said no peace deal could be reached between rival factions because Tripoli is “seized by illegal armed groups.”
He emphasized that the Libyan National Army (LNA) has stepped in to “liberate Tripoli.”
“The capital has been kidnapped. The military has stepped in with only one goal, which is to root such groups out of the capital,” Saleh said.
Libya has been gripped by conflict and paralyzed by political deadlock since the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.
Elections in Libya were held shortly after Qaddafi’s death but failed to bring stability.
In the years since, Libya has been split between the rival governments and has emerged as a major channel for African migrants hoping to reach Europe.
The International Organisation for Migration said the increased violence in and around Tripoli has led more than 5,800 people to flee their homes.
Human Rights Watch reported on April 25 that forces under the command of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar have allegedly targeted asylum seekers and migrants in a detention center on April 23, highlighting the growing risk to thousands of detainees during ongoing fighting in Tripoli.
The humanitarian situation has deteriorated in conflict-affected areas, with cuts to electricity and water supply and shortages of essential items such as food, safe drinking water, medicine, and fuel. Many civilians are trapped by front-line fighting, and are unable to move to safer areas due to armed clashes, random shelling, and roadblocks.
Some 3,000 refugees and migrants remain trapped in detention centers exposed to or at risk of armed clashes, according to ReliefWeb.
