Libya calls on UNESCO to protect world heritage site in Sabratha

Archaeological Site of Sabratha in Libya, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site [Giovanni Boccardi/Wikpedia]

Officials in Libya called on Tuesday for UNESCO to protect the world heritage site in Sabratha, Anadolu has reported. There has been fighting at the site since 17 September.

A union of five Libyan municipalities which cover world heritage sites was formed a few months ago. It has made the approach to UNESCO, which designated the Sabratha site in 1982.

The union also called upon recognised government authorities in Libya to take “urgent” action to stop the fighting in the middle of the city. The armed groups involved were urged to keep away from the heritage sites in order to keep them available for “all nations”.

Libya has been suffering security and political chaos since the ouster of the dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, which included Western intervention.

Read: Fighting persists east of Libya capital, residents displaced

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