250,000 displaced by Libya's militant clashes: UN

About 250,000 people have fled their homes due to the recent deadly clashes in Libya's major cities, according to a UN report issued Thursday.

The joint report, issued by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the UN Human Rights Office, said that at least 100,000 Libyans have become internally displaced, while 150,000 people, including many foreign expats, left the country as rival militias fight over Tripoli and Benghazi, Xinhua reported.

The report said fighters have disregarded civilian lives and property as they fight and have inadequate training and discipline.

The use of poorly maintained and faulty weapons has also increased inaccuracy, making the fighting far more dangerous to civilians. These factors suggest that many attacks carried out in Tripoli and Benghazi were indiscriminate.

Since mid-May, the north African country has endured bloody clashes between Islamist armed groups and pro-secular militias, both seeking to gain control of the major cities. The conflict has also spread to other towns like Gharyan and Zawiya.

The UN mission has called for immediate ceasefire several times, but so far no group has abided by the truce, prompting the UN to consider sanction measures.

Libya has witnessed a drastic escalation of violence since the 2011 turmoil, which toppled its former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Its political transition has since been mired in endless fights between Islamist and secular factions.