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Deadly clashes between militias backed by two rival governments broke out in the Libyan capital on Saturday, warning of renewed violence amid a long-standing political stalemate.
At least 13 civilians were killed and more than 95 injured, the health ministry said.
It added that 64 families were evacuated from the area surrounding the fighting in Tripoli.
The escalation threatens to disrupt the relative calm that Libya has enjoyed for most of the past two years.
The oil-rich country was thrown into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled and killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The 1/3 UN in Libya is deeply concerned by the ongoing armed conflict, including indiscriminate medium and heavy shelling in civilian areas of Tripoli, which reportedly caused civilian casualties and damage to civilian facilities, including hospitals. pic.twitter.com/otrlpaQxKZ
— UNSMIL (@UNSMILibya) August 27, 2022
Among the dead was Mustafa Baraka, a comedian known for his social media videos mocking militias and corruption.
He died after being shot in the chest, according to emergency services spokesman Malek Merset.
Mersett said emergency services were still trying to evacuate the wounded and civilians trapped in fighting overnight that continued into Saturday.
The health ministry said the shelling of the city’s hospitals and medical centres and ambulance teams prohibited from evacuating civilians “constituted war crimes”.
Tripoli’s city council blamed the ruling political class for the worsening situation and urged the international community to “protect Libya’s civilians”.
The violence caused widespread panic among Tripoli residents.
Videos circulating online showed homes, government facilities and vehicles apparently damaged in the fighting.
Other footage showed militia units being deployed and firefighting in the night sky.
The UN mission in Libya said the fighting involved “indiscriminate moderate and heavy shelling of civilian areas” in Tripoli.
The mission called for an immediate ceasefire and called on all parties in Libya to “refrain from any form of hate speech and incitement to violence”.
According to local media reports, the Tripoli Revolutionary Brigade militia led by Haytham Tajouri clashed with another militia allied with the notorious warlord Abdul Ghani al-Kikri, known as Gurney watt.
Later on Saturday, more militias joined the fighting that spread across different parts of the capital.
The Tripoli-based government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Debeba claimed the clashes erupted when one militia opened fire on another.
However, the fight is likely to be part of an ongoing power struggle between Dbeibah and his rival Prime Minister Fathy Bashagha, who operates in the coastal city of Sirte.
Both Dbeibah and Bashagha are supported by militias, which have mobilized in recent weeks to try to drive into Tripoli to expel his opponents.
Basaga’s attempt to establish a government in Tripoli in May sparked clashes that culminated in his withdrawal from the city.
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