TRIPOLI, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Friday expressed concerns over displacement of civilians in and around the capital Tripoli, which is witnessing ongoing clashes between the UN-backed government and the east-based army.
"According to IOM Libya DTM (Displacement Tracking Matrix), there are now over 50,000 displaced people as a direct result of the intensifying armed conflict in Tripoli. While our response continues to provide needed support to affected populations, we are concerned about the alarming figures of displacement," the organization said in a statement.
The eastern-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government.
The fighting has so far killed 392 people and injured nearly 2,000 others, according to the World Health Organization.
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Fayez Serraj stressed that there will be no cease-fire until the rival army forces "return to where they came from."
Haftar's army is allied with the eastern-based government, as the country is politically divided between eastern and western governments.
Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
