Libya armed groups ignore laws of war in Tripoli: AI

TRIPOLI: Amnesty International accused both sides in the fight for Libya's capital of "utter disregard" for the laws of war, in a report released Tuesday citing possible war crimes.

"Warring parties in the ongoing battle for Tripoli have killed and maimed scores of civilians by launching indiscriminate attacks and using a range of inaccurate explosive weapons in populated urban areas," the rights watchdog said. The forces of east Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive to take Tripoli in April, but met fierce resistance from forces loyal to the United Nations-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), based in the capital.

"Both sides have shown utter disregard for the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law (the laws of war), which forbid such attacks," the report said. Fighting has caused at least 1,093 deaths and 5,752 injuries, among them dozens of civilians.