Leading the News -

Libya -

On March 28th, Libya’s United Nations (U.N.)-backed unity government accused authorities in Tripoli of closing down the capital’s airspace to prevent it from travelling to Libya from Tunisia to start work. According to a statement released by the Presidential Council, a minority of the Tripoli-based government was terrorizing the safe population of Tripoli and obstructing the unity government by closing the airspace. The accusations followed the suspension of flights at the Mitiga Airport over the weekend, which the self-declared government in Tripoli claimed were enacted for safety and security reasons.

On March 29th, following reports of the execution of six men last week by armed groups in Warshafana, U.N. Special Representative to Libya and head of the U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Martin Kobler condemned the killings and called for those responsible to be held to account. Special Representative Kobler also issued a reminder that the execution of prisoners and direct or indiscriminate attacks against civilians are prohibited under international humanitarian and human rights law.