The U.N. mission assisting Libya on Sunday condemned the escalation of violence in the capital, Tripoli and its surrounding areas. The U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement that it "strongly denounced the shelling of residential neighborhoods, which has inflicted casualties among civilians, forced them out of their homes and caused damage to property." The violence poses a threat to Libya's political process and the security of the country, but there has been no response to repeated international appeals from the mission or a ceasefire. UNSMIL will continue to work to help Libya, and urged all parties to cooperate in ending the fighting, which has resulted in the loss of many lives. U.N. humanitarian agencies said that conditions are worsening in the country as food, fuel, electricity are diminishing, and UNSMIL said an immediate cessation of hostilities is necessary.
