Heavy clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli could be heard into the evening on Wednesday as the UN Libya mission called for a humanitarian pause.
Despite the appeal, the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, told Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper that he would not hold any negotiations with the leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Khalifa Haftar, over “the crimes he has committed against all Libyans.”
“We had agreed on a ceasefire and a humanitarian pause (because of the coronavirus outbreak), and we had expected Haftar to stick for once to his pledge,” said Sarraj.
He also accused Haftar of “using the coronavirus outbreak as an opportunity to attack us.”
“But after his assault was thwarted, he began targeting Tripoli indiscriminately,” Sarraj added.
The LNA has been trying to capture Tripoli for just over a year, escalating an on-off conflict between east and west Libyan factions.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said Wednesday it was alarmed by the continuing escalation of violence, particularly by the intensification of deadly fighting in the past few days.
“UNSMIL notes with grave concern reports of attacks on civilians, the Surman Prison break and release of 401 prisoners without adequate legal proceedings or vetting, desecration of corpses, retribution, including looting, robberies and torching of public and private properties, in western coastal towns recently seized by the GNA forces,” it said in a statement.
“UNSMIL is following up the above allegations, which if verified, would constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.”
The mission also condemned what it said was LNA’s “indiscriminate bombardment of Tripoli with rockets, many of which have landed on civilian neighborhoods, resulting in casualties.”
It warned that “acts of revenge will further escalate the conflict, and lead to a cycle of revenge that threatens the social fabric in Libya.”
It reiterated its call on parties to the conflict to deescalate, curb incitement, and immediately respect the repeated calls by UN chief Antonio Guterres and international partners for a humanitarian pause.
