At least 28 Civilians Killed in Libya this Year, Says U.N.
At least 28 civilians including five children have been killed in fighting across Libya so far this year, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which has been pushing the north African state's rival parliaments and governments to sign up to a national unity deal, said 38 civilians had also been wounded since January 1.
UNSMIL said in a statement that 14 of the deaths occurred in the second city of Benghazi, where forces allied with the internationally recognized government have battled Islamist militias including the Islamic State group.
"Due to limited access and the multiple parties engaged in the conflict... UNSMIL was unable to determine with certainty which party caused these civilian casualties," the statement said.
Chaos has engulfed Libya since the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of dictator Moammar Gadhafi and rival administrations are being urged to sign a U.N.-brokered national unity government to help restore stability.
IS and other extremist organizations have exploited the power vacuum, making gains along Libya's oil-rich coastal regions and triggering concern among Western nations over jihadists controlling territory just 300 kilometers (185 miles) from Europe.
UNSMIL said most of the civilian deaths and injuries were caused by shelling, while six people were shot dead and at least two killed in air raids.
Source: Agence France Presse
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