The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday reminded Filipinos in Libya anew to take the necessary precautions after a state of emergency was declared in Tripoli amid the ongoing conflict in the capital.
According to latest reports, at least 47 people were killed and about a hundred of others were wounded as a result of fierce battles between factions in Tripoli.
Aside from the fighting, the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli has reported instances of looting, robbery, car theft and other crimes.
“The DFA is urging Filipinos, particularly those in Tripoli, to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement as the situation in the Libyan capital is tense,” DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said in a statement.
“They should also prepare for disruptions in power supply and internet connectivity,” Cato added.
From the Embassy, Chargé d’Affaires Mardomel Melicor called on the estimated 1,800 Filipinos in Tripoli to make sure they have enough food and water to last a few days.
There are about 3,500 Filipinos in the whole of Libya based on the records of the embassy. About 1,850 Filipinos are in the area of Tripoli.
Melicor also made an assurance that the Embassy remains ready to respond to any request for assistance from the Filipino Community. In the event of emergencies, the Embassy could be contacted at: +218 91 824 4208 and +218 94 454 1283.
Clashes raged Monday on the outskirts of Libya’s capital Tripoli trapping residents indoors and hampering rescue efforts, as the UN called for talks after more than a week of deadly violence.
Fighting since August 27 between rival militias in the southern suburbs has killed at least 47 people and wounded 129 others, most of them civilians, according to an updated toll put out by the health ministry Sunday night.
Following a failed ceasefire on Friday, the United Nations mission to Libya invited the “various Libyan parties” to Tuesday talks for an “urgent dialogue on the current security situation in Tripoli”.
UNSMIL did not give further information on the guest list, but analysts said the chaos of changing alliances on the ground made it difficult to predict who would be at the table.
“The situation is too fluid and the alliances are still volatile and changing,” said Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert at the University of Paris 8.
The Libyan capital has been at the center of a battle for influence between armed groups since the ouster and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Unity on Sunday declared a state of emergency in Tripoli and its surroundings, as the violence cast doubt on general elections set for the end of the year.
The clashes initially pitted GNA-linked groups in the capital against the so-called 7th Brigade, a militia from the town of Tarhuna southeast of Tripoli the GNA says it presented with orders in April to disband.
In statements and videos, the 7th Brigade has claimed to be the true “army” and said it is carrying out an “operation to liberate Tripoli” from militias.
Since the fighting broke out, other armed groups championing the same cause as the 7th Brigade have been drawn into the clashes against pro-GNA security forces.
Those groups include militias from Misrata, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Tripoli.
On Monday, armed groups had cut roads leading to their positions, “blocking access to aid and relief” and trapping families in the area, emergency services spokesman Osama Ali said. With AFP