UN, EU condemn hospital and school attacks in Libya

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) - The UN and the EU condemned on Monday the attacks by Eastern Libya-based commander Khalifa Haftar forces targeting a field hospital and a school in Libya.

On Sunday, fighter jets of Khaftar targeted a field hospital in south of capital Tripoli which killed four doctors and a paramedic while eight medical personnel were injured.

Another attack by Khaftar forces also caused material damage at a school in Al-Alamain area of Tripoli on Saturday.

Office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator said in a statement on Monday that Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya Berangere Boell-Yousfi "strongly" condemned the attacks.

"Böell-Yousfi expresses her strong condemnation of the disgraceful shelling on Al-Alamain school and Az Zawiyah Field Hospital in Airport road area, south of Tripoli, depriving thousands of people from accessing basic services," it said.

The statement said the humanitarian community continues to call on all the parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under the international humanitarian law and urges to end the attack of hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure and personnel.

"Parties to conflict must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian relief, including medical missions," it added.

Maja Kocijancic, EU's spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, also said in a statement on Monday that a field hospital and a school were hit in Tripoli and such civilian infrastructure is protected under international law.

"We remind all parties of their obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and we expect a thorough and independent investigation so that those responsible are held accountable.

"The interest of the Libyan people must be put first by de-escalating the situation and resuming dialogue in order to identify a lasting political solution to the conflict as part of the UN-led process," she added.

Since early April, forces loyal to Haftar have been launching a campaign to capture Tripoli from Government of National Accord (GNA) forces.

Clashes between the two sides since then have left more than 1,000 people dead and about 5,500 wounded, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising after four decades in power.

The oil-rich country has since seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, with which Haftar is affiliated, and the Tripoli-based GNA, which enjoys UN recognition.