By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 13 August 2014:
Both the UN and the EU had demanded that the fighting in Libya stop.
In a . . .[restrict]strongly worded statement released yesterday United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) condemned the ongoing violence and the refusal of those in the conflict to heed calls for an immediate ceasefire.
UNSMIL said it “strongly condemns” the refusal to “refrain from the use of force to resolve political differences”.
Although the statement was in response to the violence throughout the country, it specifically condemned the attacks on police and army positions in eastern Libya as well as the “use of military aircraft in combat”.
UNSMIL said it “deplores” the increase in civilian casualties, adding that it was concerned about how the conflict was affecting civilians because of shortages of medical supplies, families being displaced, homes and infrastructure destroyed, and economic activity interrupted.
The mission stated that it was working with international partners to help to mediate a ceasefire, maintaining contact with “all sides” to seek a political solution for the current crisis. It called on all sides to agree to a ceasefire immediately.
For its part, the EU said that the indiscriminate attacks against civilians and their property were “unacceptable and must stop”. It reminded those involved in the attacks that the ICC had to power to ICC to prosecute them and would do so.
“We urge all parties to actively cooperate with UNSMIL, in particular with the team sent to Tripoli to facilitate an immediate cease-fire and ask all sides to respond positively and without delay,” the EU said. [/restrict]
