The Ministry of Interior of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) warned that cutting off drinking water supplies by General Khalifa Haftar’s militias in the capital of Tripoli, amid the proliferation of the coronavirus pandemic, is seriously endangering the lives of children and families; adding that the situation will be catastrophic if the eastern forces do not lift the suspension of potable water in the area.

The ministry announced in a statement yesterday that cutting off water supplies in Tripoli is another crime to add to Haftar’s record, as it constitutes a violation of international and national laws.

The ministry called on international institutions and human rights organisations to document this crime and pursue the perpetrators, in accordance with the mechanisms of international humanitarian law and United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions.

The GNA forces announced, in a statement published by the media office of Operation Volcano of Anger on its Facebook page, the arrival of a ship from Egypt to the eastern port of Tobruk yesterday, carrying 40 containers of military supplies to Haftar’s militias.

The Egyptian military shipments come at a time when battles are escalating between the warring parties, as eastern forces continue to target civilians on the outskirts of Tripoli, which prompted the GNA forces to launch Operation Peace Storm with the aim of stopping Haftar’s aggressions.

At the end of March, the GNA forces recorded the arrival of two military cargo planes, coming from the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi, to one of the military bases in the Haftar-controlled city of Al-Marj.

The GNA forces have previously announced that numerous foreign military cargo flights have entered Libyan airspace and landed in military bases controlled by Haftar’s militias.