In a serious violation of the international humanitarian law, forces loyal to the head of the Libyan National Army, General Khalifa Haftar, attacked the only functional airport in Tripoli in an air-strike.
According to Al Jazeera, the Mitiga airport, located in the east of the city was temporarily suspended after the attack on Monday.
While no casualties were reported in the air strike, passengers were asked to evacuate the Mitiga airport after Haftar’s aircraft raided the runway. Civilians residing near the airport were terrified.
Tripoli is the capital and the largest city of Libya, containing over one million of the country’s six million people. Given that it was the only functional airport of such a significant region, the attack has further destabilized the war-wracked country.
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has strongly condemned the military escalation and ongoing fighting in and around Tripoli, including the aerial attack.
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In a statement, the Secretary-General urged the immediate halt of all military operations in order to de-escalate the situation and prevent an all-out conflict. He emphasized that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict and called on all parties to engage in immediate dialogue to reach a political solution. The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Libya stands ready to facilitate that dialogue.
The Secretary-General further reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law to ensure the safety of all civilians. All Libyans deserve peace, security, prosperity and respect for human rights.