The U.S. Embassy strongly condemns the military escalation in Tripoli in recent days, including the January 4 attack by LNA-affiliated forces against the Hadaba military college that reportedly killed at least 30 students training to be a professional security force for the Libyan capital. We also condemn attacks in recent days against Tripoli’s Matiga Airport and indiscriminate shelling against civilian infrastructure and residential neighborhoods of Tripoli, which killed and injured many civilians.

This deterioration in security underscores the dangers of toxic foreign interference in Libya, such as the arrival of Syrian fighters supported by Turkey as well as the deployment of Russian mercenaries. All Libyan parties have a responsibility to end this dangerous involvement of foreign forces, which is contributing to civilian casualties and damaging civilian infrastructure to the detriment of all Libyans. The U.S. Embassy stands ready to support all Libyan efforts to end the violence, curtail the interference of foreign forces, and reestablish a UN-facilitated political dialogue, which is the only path to lasting peace and prosperity.