ZCZC
BFF-01
LIBYA-CONFLICT-UN
UN chief calls for immediate halt to Libya fighting
UNITED NATIONS, United States, April 9, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres on Monday strongly condemned the military escalation near Tripoli and called
for an immediate halt to the fighting in Libya.
The appeal followed an air attack by the forces of commander Khalifa Haftar on the
Mitiga airport east of the capital.
Guterres “urges the immediate halt of all military operations in order to de-escalate
the situation and prevent an all-out conflict,” said a UN statement.
He “strongly condemns the military escalation and ongoing fighting in and around
Tripoli, including the aerial attack today by a Libyan National Army (LNA) aircraft
against Mitiga airport.”
The air strike shut down Tripoli’s only functioning airport as fighting raged around
the capital and thousands fled.
Haftar’s self-styled LNA claimed Monday’s air strike against the airport, with a
spokesman saying the attack targeted a MiG-23 military plane and a helicopter.
Haftar launched the offensive on Tripoli last week just as Guterres was in Libya to
push for a political deal on holding elections.
A UN-backed unity government controls the capital, but its authority is not
recognized by a parallel administration in the east of the country.
As fighting escalated over the weekend, the United Nations called for a humanitarian
pause to allow civilians trapped in the violence to escape, but the appeal fell on deaf
ears.
Libya has been rocked by violent power struggles between an array of armed groups
since the NATO-backed overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
BSS/AFP/AU/07:35 hrs