UN agencies concerned about use of explosive devices against Libyan civilians

Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-29 11:13:38|Editor: huaxia

TRIPOLI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Libyan Mine Action Center (LibMac) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) on Thursday expressed concern over the use of improvised explosive devices against civilians in south of the Libyan capital Tripoli.

"The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Libyan Mine Action Centre (LibMac) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) are deeply concerned about reports that residents of the Ain Zara and Salahuddin areas of Tripoli have been exposed, killed and wounded by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) placed in and near their homes," a joint statement said.

The statement explained that children and adolescents are particularly exposed and at risk of explosive ordnance, stressing that those who survived a blast are likely to experience serious physical, psychological and social problems and may have their life chances affected by the consequences of the incidents.

UNICEF Special Representative in Libya Abdel-Rahman Ghandour stressed that all parties to the conflict must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect children at all times.

The eastern-based army has been leading a military campaign for more than a year, trying to take control of Tripoli and topple the UN-backed government. The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 others.

The UN-backed government's forces accused the eastern-based army of planting mines before withdrawing from conflict areas in southern Tripoli. Enditem

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