8 children killed in Libya's Benghazi in possible 'war crime': UN
Shelling of residential areas of Libya's second city Benghazi killed at least eight children this week, the United Nations said, warning that such attacks may amount to war crimes.
The UNSMIL mission to Libya, in a statement posted on its website, did not specify exactly when or where the children were killed nor indicate who may have been behind the deadly attacks.
It condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the targeting of residential areas of Libyan cities that also included Gharyan, south of Tripoli, and Zawiya to the west of the capital.
UN envoy Bernardino Leon "strongly deplores the death of at least eight children and the injury of four more, as a result of the shelling of residential areas of Benghazi on two occasions this week," said the UNSMIL statement issued late Friday.
"The artillery shelling of residential neighbourhoods in the cities of Gharyan and Zawiya are also a tragic reminder of the heavy toll borne by the Libyan people in this conflict," the statement added.
"UNSMIL reminds all parties that attacks against civilians are prohibited under international humanitarian law and can constitute war crimes."
Libya's elected Tobruk-based government said on its Facebook page that seven children and one man were killed in shelling that hit residential areas of Benghazi on Tuesday night.
The government, which is based in the east of the country, had already announced on Facebook on Wednesday that four other children from the same family were killed the day before in shelling of Benghazi, seen as the birthplace of the 2011 revolution to topple former strongman Muammar Gaddafi.
It was unclear from the statement if these four children were the same that the UN mission said had been wounded.
Libya plunged into lawlessness after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Gaddafi, with armed groups battling for control of the North African country's oil wealth and cities.
The chaos has been further compounded, with rival governments and parliaments vying for power and the Islamic State group also spreading its influence.
The UNSMIL has previously accused IS and other armed groups of comitting war crimes by abducting and torturing civilians.
On Friday, the mission said that: "Those abducted are usually at risk of torture and other ill-treatment, and are frequently denied any contact with their families. Some have died in custody, possibly summarily executed or tortured to death."
"Hostage-taking, torture and murder are war crimes. Those responsible for committing, ordering or failing to prevent such crimes when in a position to do so are criminally liable, including in front of the International Criminal Court."
ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the UN Security Council earlier in the week that she was ready to investigate crimes committed by IS in Libya, where the group said it has beheaded dozens of Christians.
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