The United Nations on Wednesday called for an end to the bloodshed in the eastern part of Libya, condemning aerial attacks, the use of heavy weaponry and increasing civilian casualties. The U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in Tripoli urged the Libyan officials to agree on a way to handle counter-terrorism along with other security challenges. "The persistence and increasing range of clashes involving heavy weaponry and aerial attacks need to be addressed immediately to ensure the situation does not deteriorate to dangerous levels," UNSMIL said in a statement. "In this regard, UNSMIL calls for ceasing the bloodshed and allowing an opportunity for political effort to take their course." The mission added that the increase in terrorist attacks on both the military and civilians in the eastern region of Libya constitutes a distinctive challenge to state authority. The UNSMIL stated that the challenge "necessitates an agreement on precise means and mechanisms to counter terrorism within the framework of state institutions," with the support of all parties that "shun terrorist practices."
