UN condemns attacks on Libya's Tripoli airport

UN

TRIPOLI, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Sunday condemned attacks on the capital Tripoli's Mitiga airport, as the armed conflict between the eastern-based army and the UN-backed government continues.

"UNSMIL condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack against Mitiga Airport, by two grad missiles, which resulted in the injury of at least two civilians, and damage to the tarmac and a number of buildings," UNMSIL tweeted.

"UNMSIL reiterates that attacks against civilian targets, especially public facilities, represent a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, and that repeated attacks against Mitiga Airport deprived two million residents in the capital of their only functioning airport," the mission added.

The UN-backed government's forces said the eastern-based army attacked the airport.

The east-based army on Wednesday announced the reactivation of the no-fly zone over western Libya, where the Mitiga International Airport locates.

The eastern-based army has been leading a military campaign since April 2019 in an attempt to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government.

The conflict killed and injured thousands of people, and displaced more than 150,000 civilians.

The two rival parties, which agreed to a ceasefire on January 12, accused each other of breaching the truce.