8 killed in Jan. in Libya due to violence: UN

TRIPOLI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Violence in Libya killed eight civilians and injured 13 others in January, the UN mission in the north African country said Wednesday.

"During the period from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, 2019, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) documented 21 civilian casualties, including eight deaths and 13 injuries, across Libya," the mission said in a statement.

"Six men and two women were killed, and nine men, three women, one child were injured," it said, adding that shelling, gunfire, and explosive remnants of war caused the majority of the casualties.

The UNSMIL also documented four additional casualties caused by other possible violations of international humanitarian law and violations or abuses of international human rights law in different parts of the country.

The UNSMIL demanded all fighting parties in Libya to stop using mortars and other indirect weapons in civilian areas, and keep fighters or other military objectives away from populated areas.

"Attacks that are expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects excessive to the anticipated concrete and direct military advantage are also prohibited. Such attacks amount to war crimes that can be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court," the mission warned.

Since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime, Libya has been plagued with escalating violence and unrest, as well as political division.