The death toll from the fighting in Libya has risen to at least 205, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
The Libyan National Army (LNA) forces of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar are battling soldiers allied to Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj for control of the North African country.
More than 900 people have also been wounded in the fighting.
The latest incident has killed hopes of an election in the North African country. The two sides had initially agreed to work towards a national vote to create a democratically elected government.
Libya has been at war for nearly a decade, heightened by the killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi’s death created a void that various armed groups sought to take advantage of.
The chaos in Libya enabled the breeding of various militant groups, including human trafficking rings that made the North African country a preferred departure point for migrants seeking to reach Europe.
Following the latest eruption of violence in the country, U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said it was extremely concerned about the “disproportionate and indiscriminate use” of explosive weapons in densely populated areas.
The agency last week warned that half a million children were at risk.
