TRIPOLI, Nov 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland expressed concern over increasing foreign intervention and civilian casualties in Libya.
The ambassador made the remarks during a meeting with the UN-backed government’s interior minister, Fathi Bashagha, the U.S. Embassy to Libya said in a statement.
During the meeting, Norland “expressed U.S. concern regarding the escalating involvement of external state actors and mercenaries in Libya and the increased numbers of civilian casualties,” it said.
The east-based Libyan army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April in and around the capital Tripoli, attempting to take over the city and overthrow the UN-backed government.
The fighting claimed thousands of lives and injured thousands others, and also displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
The east-based army is allied with the east-based government, as the North African nation is politically divided between eastern and western governments.
Meanwhile, spokesman of the east-based Libyan army Ahmad al-Mismari on Wednesday denied that the army is targeting civilians.
“All the military units carry out the operations set by Commander General Khalifa Haftar according to the rules of engagement to protect civilians and public and private property from any destruction,” al-Mismari told a press conference in the eastern city of Benghazi.
He pointed out that the military operation areas cover all northwestern Libya, saying the east-based army’s air force will attack any security threat in the area.
The capital Tripoli, home to more than 2 million people, has been witnessing a deadly armed conflict since early April between the UN-backed government and the east-based army, which is attempting to take over the city and topple the government.
The fighting has killed and injured thousands of people, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians away from their homes.
Libya has been plagued by insecurity and political instability since the fall off the late leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. — NNN-XINHUA
