World Bulletin / News Desk

The governments of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States have issued a joint statement on the escalating violence in Libya.

The five nations said that they strongly condemn the escalation of fighting and violence in and around Tripoli, Benghazi, and across Libya, especially against residential areas, public facilities, and critical infrastructure, by both land and air strikes.

They reiterated calls for the Libyan interim government, the House of Representatives and the Libyan people to accept an immediate ceasefire and engage constructively in the democratic process, abstaining from confrontational initiatives that risk undermining it, while at the same time offering support the efforts of the UN Support Mission in Libya.

'Those responsible for violence, which undermines Libya's democratic transition and national security, must be held accountable. We welcome discussions on the political and security situation in Libya to be held by the United Nations Security Council in the coming days, including consequences for those who undermine Libya’s peace and stability,' the statement issued on Monday said, also encouraging the international community to support Libya's elected institutions.

However, the statement spoke out against outside interference in Libya, saying that it would only exacerbate current divisions and undermine Libya’s democratic transition.

Libya's neighbors on Monday also reiterated their support for the North African country's elected parliament, urging local militias to lay down their arms and renounce violence.

Concluding a meeting in Egyptian capital Cairo, they recognized Libya's elected parliament as the sole representative of the Libyan people.

In a joint statement, neighboring countries – Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Chad and Sudan – called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Libya to make way for a political solution.

They urged Libyan militias to lay down their weapons and renounce the military option as part of a regionally- and internationally-sponsored framework agreement between all sides.

Libya's neighbors underlined the need for punitive measures against violators of the agreement, including targeted sanctions against individuals and groups.

They called on foreign parties to refrain from supplying weapons to "illegitimate" armed militias in Libya.

Since mid-July, the rival militias of Libya Shield on one hand and Al-Qaaqaa and Al-Sawaaq on the other have been locking horns in and around Tripoli, almost totally destroying the airport – along with several planes – and wreaking havoc in the flashpoint city.

The fighting left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

Libya in general has recently witnessed heavy fighting between a loosely organized army and militias that clung to their weapons following a bloody uprising in 2011 that ended the Gaddafi rule.