Libya: Over 2 million residents left without water

(Patria) - Millions of residents of the Libyan capital and surrounding areas were left without water after an unknown armed group destroyed the water supply control room.

A group of armed men stormed the control room in Jafara and forced staff to shut off water pipes connected to underground wells.

Thus, more than 2 million residents of Tripoli and the surrounding coastal cities were left without water in already high temperatures that will only continue to rise.

The armed group claims to support General Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA), who controls eastern and southern Libya and has been trying for months to take the capital Tripoli from the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).

The group's connection to Haftar is disputed; there are claims that the armed group is acting independently and that the GNA is using the opportunity to link their wrongdoing to Haftar and thus discredit him.

The GNA stated that the intention of the armed group cooperating with Haftar was to 'shake the morale of the residents of Tripoli'.

Haftar is supported by, among others, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, writes The Guardian.

It is unknown how long it will take to restore water supplies and how long more than two million residents will be without drinking water, but this situation only serves as a reminder of the extent to which the prolonged conflict in Libya harms the civilian population and the country's infrastructure.

The division of the country and armed conflicts in Libya have been ongoing since 2011, when Moammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed.