120 families displaced as tribal fighting continues in southern Libya

TRIPOLI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Up to 120 families in Libya's southern city of Sabha were displaced due to the undergoing tribal fighting beginning last week, the city government revealed on Saturday.

"120 families from the Tyuri neighborhood were displaced from their homes into the city as a result of the clashes and the deteriorating security situation at the southern entrance to the city," the government of Sabha said in a statement.

"The total number of displaced civilians was 700 plus 200 children," the statement added.

It also said a committee was formed to identify the displaced, meet their needs and provide them with urgent assistance.

Located some 800 km southwest of the capital Tripoli, Sabha has suffered tribal fighting for days.

The clashes have killed six people and injured 12 others, according to the Sabha Medical Center.

The city has witnessed unprecedented insecurity due to the rise in crimes and kidnappings by armed groups, as well as frequent tribal clashes.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concerns about the violence in the city, demanding an end to the "indiscriminate use of weapons in densely populated areas."

The UN-backed government in Tripoli called for an immediate ceasefire in Sabha and confirmed that a committee was formed to "establish truce and restore stability to the south." Enditem