Tripoli, March 29: The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has welcomed the ceasefire brokered in Sabha and called on all . . .[restrict]sides to address the underlying causes of the violence.
In a statement UNSMIL called on all parties to facilitate the treatment and evacuation of all wounded and to ensure the protection of civilians.
“It is critical that the Government and all sides take steps to further de-escalate the situation and address the underlying causes of this recent fighting,” the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNSMIL, Ian Martin, said in the statement.
Martin also appealed to all sides to resolve the situation through dialogue and peaceful means.
The mission reported that, in coordination with the Sabha Local Council, the Libyan Red Crescent, security forces and tribal leaders, the UN and its partners in Sabha were responding with pre-positioned non-food items to help address the urgent humanitarian needs.
Additional medical kits had already been deployed to assist with the wounded and more supplies will be dispatched over the coming days, it added.
The statement noted that clashes between rival groups were among the challenges facing Libya since the overthrow of the Qaddafi regime last year.
Briefing the Security Council in January, Martin had reported that security remains a major concern, adding that events in different parts of the country had highlighted the risks associated with both the continued abundance of weapons on the streets, and the diverse armed “brigades” operating in the country with unclear lines of command and control. [/restrict]
