UPDATE 2 - EU: Violence in Libya 'utterly unacceptable'

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM NIGERIA

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Violence against civilians -- including refugees and migrants in Libya -- is "utterly unacceptable", the EU said on Wednesday.

"The shocking and tragic attack on a detention centre in Tripoli is a reminder of the human cost of the conflict in Libya as well as the dire and vulnerable situation of migrants caught up in the spiral of violence in the country.

"Violence against civilians, including refugees and migrants, is utterly unacceptable and we deplore it in the strongest terms," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, and Commissioners Johannes Hahn and Dimitris Avramopoulos.

In a joint statement, they called on all sides to respect international humanitarian law and to allow unconditional access of humanitarian actors.

"We have repeatedly called for a cessation of hostilities and the respect of international humanitarian law.

"The European Union joins the call for the UN to carry out an immediate investigation into who perpetrated this horrific attack. Those responsible should be held to account," said the statement.

Earlier, Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) accused forces loyal to East Libya-based military commander Khalifa Haftar of killing migrants staying at a shelter in the capital Tripoli.

At least 80 migrants were also reportedly wounded in the attack in an eastern suburb of Tripoli.

France's Foreign Ministry also condemned on Wednesday the strikes and called on the parties to immediately de-escalate the situation and cease clashes.

"At the same time, it calls for the rapid return to the political process under the auspices of the United Nations," the ministry said in a statement.

German Foreign Ministry spokesman Rainer Breul strongly condemned the attack and told reporters that those responsible should be immediately held to account.

Breul also said Germany was in contact with UN special envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari also strongly condemned on Wednesday the deadly attack.

Buhari described the attack as "inhuman, wicked and callous" especially as it had been carried out against "helpless and defenseless people."

The Nigerian leader, who called for an international investigation, said those behind the death and injury of scores of migrants must be made to face justice.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011 when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of long-serving President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.

Since then, Libya’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power -- one in Tobruk and another in Tripoli -- and a host of heavily armed militia groups.

*Cuneyt Karadag contributed to this story from Berlin and Abu 'Adnan from Lagos, Nigeria