The battle between rival groups for the Libyan capital has killed more than 1,000 people since it began in April, the United Nations said, a grim milestone in a stalemated conflict partly fuelled by regional powers.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a brief statement on Tuesday that 1,048 people, including 106 civilians, have been killed since the offensive began. It said 5,558 were wounded, including 289 civilians.
“WHO continues to send doctors and medical supplies to help hospitals cope. Our teams have performed more than 1,700 surgeries in three months,” the UN body said on Twitter.
Forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a renegade military commander, launched an offensive on Tripoli in early April, advancing on the city’s southern outskirts to wrestle the capital from forces loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).
Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA), which holds eastern Libya and much of the country’s south, enjoys the support of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia.
But it has faced stiff resistance from fighters aligned with the UN-recognised government, which is aided by Turkey and Qatar.
The battle lines have changed little since the offensive began, with both sides dug in and shelling one another in the southern reaches of the capital.
Forces aligned with the GNA recently recaptured Gharyan, a town 100km west of Tripoli, which is on a major supply route.