UNITED NATIONS, May 13 (Xinhua): The United Nations (UN) called for a rapid, sustained break in the clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli to allow unimpeded evacuation of the wounded and sick, and the relocation of migrants and refugees, a UN spokesman said on Monday.
"The UN continues to be extremely concerned about the mounting impact of the fighting on civilians in and around Tripoli," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
More than 2,000 people have been injured and hundreds killed since early April when the fighting erupted between the UN-backed Libyan government and the east-based army in and around Tripoli.
The number of causalities increased due to the latest round of fighting over the weekend, while no specific information regarding the clash has been updated.
According to Haq, among those trapped in frontline areas are approximately 3,200 refugees and migrants in detention centers, whose access to food, water and healthcare is severely restricted as a result of the conflict.
"Our colleagues on the ground say the humanitarian impact of clashes in and around Tripoli continues to deepen," he said. "It is high time now to return to the negotiating table."
According to the UN Migration Agency, nearly 67,000 people have now been driven out of their homes, while about 100,000 more people are thought to remain in frontline areas.
The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government National Accord is based.
