The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed its deep concern yesterday over reports of continued mobilization of armed groups, along with the alarming increase in assassinations in and around the city of Zawia, which it said threatens to ignite a new wave of violence and further endanger civilians.
Beleaguered Zawia, located about 40 minutes and 50 kms west of the capital Tripoli on the main coastal road to the Tunisian border, has suffered on and off militia clashes virtually since the 2011 revolution by criminal and tribal militias and gangs. These clashes and assassinations have reoccurred over the last few days.
UNSMIL said recent findings of the Panel of Experts on Libya have highlighted that competition among armed groups for influence, territorial control, and access to state resources continues to undermine security, weaken state institutions, fuel impunity, and obstruct Libya’s path to peace and stability.
UNSMIL reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the duty to protect civilians, and called on them to refrain from using residential areas for military purposes. The Mission also called for prompt, independent, and transparent investigations into unlawful killings, assassinations, acts of intimidation, and violence against civilians, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable in accordance with due process and the rule of law.
UNSMIL also urges restraint and accountability for these crimes. With the arrival of Eid al-Adha (today), the Mission urged all parties to seize this blessed and sacred occasion as an opportunity for reconciliation, restraint, and dialogue, and to place the interests and safety of the people of Zawia above all other considerations.
UNSMIL reiterated its support for all efforts aimed at de-escalation, promoting accountability, and maintaining stability, and offers its good offices in service of these objectives.
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