UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for halting the ongoing violence in Libya, especially after the failure of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to reach a humanitarian truce before the holy month of Ramadan.
“At least we have now an initiative for a truce during Ramadan, but what we need is a ceasefire, a cessation of hostilities and foreign interference to allow Libyans to be able to once again come together and discuss seriously, politically, a way through,” Guterres said in a Monday press conference with Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki.
Guterres expressed hopes that after a ceasefire, the initiatives of national reconciliatory conferences in Ghadames, Libya then Addis Ababa will move again.
On Sunday, the UNSMIL called on eastern and western rival parties to stop fighting in the capital for an extendable week in humanitarian truce.
In its statement, the UNSMIL said the proposed truce would begin at 4 a.m. on the first day of Ramadan, May 6. The truce was suggested to include military operations, reconnaissance, shelling, sniper operations, and mobilization of forces.
The mission also called on all parties to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and freedom of civilians’ movement.
However, the violence continued in the capital without any commitment to the UN peace invitation during Ramadan.
Since April 4, the Libyan National Army and the Government of National Accord have continued to engage in armed conflict, characterized by heavy machine-gun use and airstrikes, to control Tripoli.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Monday, the death toll from ongoing fighting between GNA and LNA forces in Tripoli has risen to 432. Other 2,069 people were reported to be injured.
