Death toll of clashes in Libya's capital rises to 220: WHO

A total of 220 people have been killed and 1,066 others injured in the fighting between the UN-backed Libyan government and the east-based army in and around the capital Tripoli, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday.

"Tripoli toll is now 220 dead and 1,066 wounded. Among the killed civilians in Libya are health workers, women, and children," WHO tweeted.

A day earlier, WHO demanded all parties in Libya "protect civilians, health workers and health facilities."

The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government.

The fighting has forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes, but many others remain trapped in conflict areas.

Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.