Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Human Wrongs Watch
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Deadly Airstrikes and Drone Hits Displace Thousands of Civilians in Libya Oasis Town

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Human Wrongs Watch

Intensifying clashes in the southern Libyan town of Murzuq involving air and drone strikes in recent days have left at least 90 people dead and displaced thousands of “terrified” civilians, the UN said on Tuesday [20 August 2019].

UN OCHA/Giles Clarke | IDP Tawerghan children in a damaged car in the Qaryounis IDP settlement in Benghazi. The Qaryounis settlement is home to 204 families almost all of whom were displaced from Tawergha in 2011.

“Casualties on all sides of the fighting have continued as a result of airstrikes by planes and drones, indiscriminate rocket attacks and shelling, and direct fighting on the ground,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

OCHA’s warning over the small oasis town echoes concerns by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and other UN agencies.

The alert follows reports by local media that the clashes involved tribal opponents of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) of commander Khalifa Haftar, which began an offensive on the southern outskirts of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, in April.

Asked about the identities of the victims in Murzuq, Mr. Laerke replied that they included children.

“It is a civilian area, it’s in a country where people tend – families tend – to be big and there are many children,” he said, before highlighting a deadly mortar strike on a house for displaced people in the Bendalwah neighbourhood earlier this month.

“We know for a fact at least (of) six children, two of them were killed, four of them were injured in a strike that hit a house, hosting internally displaced people on 8 August,” Mr. Laerke added.

According to the UN migration agency, IOM, 9,450 people have been displaced by the violence in and around Murzuq since the beginning of August.

At least 3,000 of them have been uprooted since violence intensified last week, IOM said.

“Most families previously displaced within neighbourhoods of Murzuq City have also left the town to nearby communities,” an IOM statement read. “Reported displacements include around 300 migrants from Niger, Chad and Nigeria.”

Families ‘too terrified to seek safety’

Nonetheless, many “are of course terrified that if they move, they will be perceived as affiliated to one side of the other and maybe targeted”, Mr. Laerke said. “Some families are reluctant to leave the affected areas because they are afraid of reprisals.”

To respond to urgent needs, the UN and partner humanitarian organizations “are responding with emergency health care, food distribution, shelter and non-food items”, Mr. Laerke added, noting that access remains difficult, “due to the active fighting”.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) shipped medical supplies to support health facilities in Murzuq’s conflict zone, with enough supplies to help 60,000 people for three months and 600 surgical procedures.

Access is far more limited inside Murzuq itself, “with many roads damaged and many roadblocks,” Mr. Laerke said.

Amid growing humanitarian needs, the OCHA spokesperson appealed to all parties involved in the fighting to “allow people to leave if they so wish, so they can reach a place where they can be assisted, and of course to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure in the first place, according to international humanitarian law.”

Additional support from the international community is needed to help the vulnerable, Mr. Laerke said, noting that the $202 million Humanitarian Response Plan for Libya is currently only 30 per cent funded. (SOURCE: UN News).

.
Related:
.

2019 Human Wrongs Watch


Source: https://human-wrongs-watch.net/2019/08/21/deadly-airstrikes-and-drone-hits-displace-thousands-of-civilians-in-libya-oasis-town/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.