Tripoli [Libya], July 3: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or commonly known as UN refugee agency expressed deep concern on Wednesday over the deadly actions on a migrant centre in Tajoura district of Tripoli, the Libyan capital, that has claimed the lives of some 40 people with another 80 wounded.
On his official Twitter handle, the UNHCR Libya wrote: “UNHCR is extremely concerned about news of airstrikes targeting Tajoura detention centre East of Tripoli, and accounts of refugees and migrants deceased. Civilians should never be a target.”
UNHCR is extremely concerned about news of airstrikes targeting Tajoura detention centre East of Tripoli, and accounts of refugees and migrants deceased.
Civilians should never be a target.— UNHCR Libya (@UNHCRLibya) July 2, 2019
Earlier on Wednesday, Libya’s health ministry reported at leat 40 people were dead with another 80 wounded during the airstrikes, and that the death toll is likely to raise.
According to ANI news reports, the attacks took place hours after Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar-led LNA army launched on Thursday threatened to launch new aerial strikes in order to “liberate Tripoli”, a day after five army personnel were reported killed during air raids.
While urging civilians to keep themselves away from what he called the red-alert “confrontation areas”, Mohamed Manfour, Air Force commander of Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA), said they are planning to launch fresh aerial strikes because “traditional means” to liberate Tripoli had been finished.
In the latest turmoil since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the commander’s Libyan National Army (LNA) force stepped up its presence to take control over Tripoli despite battling that has caused a crisis in the southern suburbs, as well as, displaced tens of hundreds of people.
Earlier in April, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the head of Libyan National Army (LNA), launched his offensive to gain control over Tripoli which the GNA controls. Around 400 people have lost their lives with more than thousands been displaced as GNA and LNA’s forces clashed in the capital, Tripoli, according to ANI news reports.
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