KUWAIT: Kuwait on Sunday expressed concern and regret over armed clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli. The foreign ministry, in a statement, voiced alarm over the clashes that threaten the safety and security of the brotherly Libyan people and undermine the country's stability. It affirmed Kuwait's support for the brotherly Libyan state, the political process and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions designed to safeguard Libya's stability and sovereignty.

The ministry also called upon all Libyan parties to cease the clashes, escalation and bloodshed, adopt political dialogue to resolve disputes for the sake of preserving Libya's higher interests and attain the brotherly people's aspirations for development and prosperity.

The Arab Parliament on Sunday also expressed deep concern about the developments in Tripoli. In a statement, the parliament urged all parties and national forces to stop violence and escalation, exercise restraint in order to prevent bloodshed, return to dialogue, preserve the capabilities of the Libyan people and reach a solution that achieves stability in Libya. It expressed full solidarity with Libya, offering condolences to the families of the victims and wishing speedy recovery to the injured.

Clashes between backers of Libya's rival governments killed at least 32 people, the health ministry said Sunday in a new toll, after a battle that sparked fears of major new conflict. Armed groups had exchanged fire that damaged several hospitals and set buildings on fire starting Friday evening, the worst fighting in the Libyan capital since a landmark 2020 ceasefire.

The fighting came after months of mounting tensions between backers of Abdulhamid Dbeibah and Fathi Bashagha, whose rival administrations are vying for control of the North African country which has seen more than a decade of violence since a 2011 uprising. Dbeibah's administration, installed in the capital as part of a United Nations-led peace process after the end of the last major battle in 2020, has so far prevented Bashagha from taking office there, arguing that the next administration should be the product of elections.

Bashagha was appointed by Libya's eastern-based parliament earlier this year and is backed by powerful eastern military chief Khalifa Haftar, whose 2019 attempt to seize the capital by force turned into a year-long civil war. Bashagha, a former interior minister, had initially ruled out the use of violence to take power in Tripoli but had since hinted that he could resort to force.