(Adnkronos) – The United Nations has appealed to “all parties” in Libya to avoid further fighting in Tripoli, after an increase in military reinforcements was reported in and around the capital, despite the agreement reached after the May clashes. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Unsmil, therefore called for “avoiding the use of violence, especially in densely populated areas” and “avoiding any political or rhetorical action that could provoke an escalation or lead to a resumption of fighting”. On May 17, the United Nations Security Council informed “all political and security actors” that “they have an obligation under international law to protect the lives of civilians and their property” and that those who carry out “attacks against civilians will be held accountable” for their actions.
“The mission continues its efforts to help reduce tensions and invites the parties to participate in good faith” towards this goal, reads the Unsmil note, which calls for the “rapid implementation” of the security agreements and the “immediate” withdrawal of the forces recently deployed in Tripoli. “Dialogue, not violence, remains the only viable path to achieving lasting peace and stability in Tripoli and the rest of Libya,” the note concludes.
Tripoli was the scene of violent clashes between rival militias last May, after the death of the leader of the Stability Support Apparatus Abdelghani al-Kikli. To avoid an expansion of the conflict, the Tripoli authorities created a military and security committee to “cleanse the capital of armed groups” to try to bring the situation under control. “What happened shows that state institutions are able to protect the homeland and preserve the dignity of its citizens,” stressed the prime minister of the government of national unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, calling the operations “a decisive step towards ending the existence of irregular groups” in Tripoli.
