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Africa North |
UN-backed Libyan government condemns Derna air strike |
2017-11-01 |
[Al Jazeera] The UN-backed government of Libya has strongly condemned the air strike on the eastern city of Derna and called on the UN Security Council to investigate the attack that killed at least 17 civilians. A statement issued on Tuesday by the Presidential Council on behalf of Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), said that the air strike should be treated as a "war crime". While the statement did not say who was responsible for the deadly bombing, it called for the immediate lifting of more than a year of siege imposed on Derna city to allow humanitarian aid ![]() READ MORE UN report: UAE violates Libya arms embargo "The siege has left many suffering," said the statement, adding that it will not tolerate the killing and intimidation of Libyan citizens. Derna has been besieged by gangs loyal to General Khalifa Haftar ![]() , the self-styled chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA). The Mujahideen Shura Council, which is currently in de facto control of Derna, took the city from ISIS in 2015. It is the only city in eastern Libya not controlled by forces of General Haftar. |
Posted by:Fred |