The Turkish Foreign Ministry Sunday released a statement calling for "an immediate cessation of the clashes" in Libya after the death toll rose to 23 from clashes between two rival militias in the Libyan capital.

"The escalation of violence also jeopardizes the Libyan people's determination to achieve lasting peace and stability and their vision of advancing the political process, especially the holding of elections," Ankara said.

It reiterated Ankara's support for establishing lasting peace and stability in Libya and said Türkiye expects "the parties to silence their weapons and focus on solving their problems peacefully as soon as possible."

The Libyan Health Ministry said at least 140 people were also injured in clashes that erupted in several areas in Tripoli.

"Hospitals and health centers affiliated to the Health Ministry in Tripoli have been targeted and bombed since the early hours of the morning," it said in a separate statement.

It urged conflicting parties to protect health institutions, emergency centers and ambulances in the city from the armed conflict as the fighting intensified.

The Education Ministry announced it canceled high school graduation exams because of the clashes, while Libyan Wings Airlines temporarily suspended flights to Türkiye and Tunisia.

The violence came amid military buildups by forces affiliated with Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and troops loyal to Fathi Bashagha, who was appointed prime minister by the Tobruk-based parliament in March, as both claim power and authority in the capital.

The head of the United Nations also urged an immediate end to violence in Libya amid renewed fighting between two rival militias in the capital.

Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over civilian casualties and the destruction of infrastructure, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Guterres urged parties to engage in genuine dialogue to address the ongoing political impasse and called for the protection of civilians and refraining from actions that could escalate tensions and deepen divisions.

The U.N. Libya mission called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities," citing "ongoing armed clashes including indiscriminate medium and heavy shelling in civilian-populated neighborhoods."

The U.S. ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, said in a statement that Washington "condemns" the surge in violence, urging an "immediate cease-fire and U.N.-facilitated talks between the conflicting parties."

The United States Embassy in Tripoli said it is "deeply concerned" about violent clashes that caused civilian deaths.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria urged an end to the fighting and dialogue.

"All parties in Libya should stop violence, protect civilians and prevent escalation. Parties should engage in dialogue to resolve conflicts," the OIC said in a statement.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry urged all parties, national forces and social components in Libya to stop tensions, prioritize the language of dialogue, avoid violence and use common sense to avoid bloodshed.

The Foreign Ministry in Tunisia said it is following the dangerous developments with "deep concern" and encouraged the sides to use common sense, urgently put an end to conflicts and resort to talks to overcome disagreements.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry also voiced "deep concern" for recent developments and implored the parties to immediately end the violence and seek dialogue.

'Threats'

Clashes between backers of Libya's rival governments killed at least 23 people and damaged six hospitals in Tripoli, sparking fears that a political crisis could spiral into a major new armed conflict.

Small arms fire and explosions rocked several districts of the capital overnight and into Saturday when smoke could be seen rising from damaged buildings.

But cautious calm appeared to have returned on Saturday night, an AFP correspondent said.

The head of the government in Tripoli, Dbeibah, posted a video of himself surrounded by bodyguards and greeting fighters supporting him.

Among the fatalities was Mustafa Baraka, a comedian known for his social media videos mocking militias and corruption. Baraka died after he was shot in his chest, said Malek Merset, an emergency services spokesperson.

Six hospitals were hit and ambulances were unable to reach areas affected by the clashes, the ministry had said earlier, condemning "war crimes."

The two rival administrations vying for control of the North African country and its vast oil resources -- one based in the capital, the other approved by a parliament in the country's east – exchanged blame.

Dbeibah's Government of National Unity (GNU) said fighting had broken out after negotiations to avoid bloodshed in the western city collapsed.

Dbeibah's government, installed as part of a United Nations-led peace process following a previous round of violence, is challenged by a rival government led by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.

Bashagha, who is backed by Libya's parliament and eastern-based military strongman Khalifa Haftar, says the GNU's mandate has expired.

But he has so far been unable to take office in Tripoli, as Dbeibah has insisted on only handing power to an elected government.

Dbeibah's government accused Bashagha of "carrying out his threats" to seize Tripoli by force.

Dbeibah's GNU said negotiations had been underway to "hold elections at the end of the year to resolve the political crisis" but that Bashagha had "walked out at the last moment."

Bashagha denied such talks had taken place and accused Dbeibah's "illegitimate" administration of "clinging to power."

Local media reported later Saturday that a group of pro-Bashagha militias that had been making their way to the capital from Misrata had turned back.

'Urban warfare'

Emadeddin Badi, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, warned that the violence could quickly escalate.

"Urban warfare has its own logic, it's harmful both to civilian infrastructure and to people, so even if it isn't a long war, this conflict will be very destructive as we have already seen," he told AFP.

He added that the fighting could strengthen Haftar and those close to him.

"They stand to benefit from western Libya divisions and have a better negotiating position once the dust settles."

Bashagha was appointed in February by parliament, which was elected in 2014 and is based in the eastern city of Tobruk, but he has been unable to impose his authority in Tripoli.

Initially ruling out the use of violence, the former interior minister has since hinted that he could resort to force.

Last week, he called on "Libyan men of honor" to drop their support for Dbeibah's "obsolete and illegitimate" administration.

In July, clashes between rival groups in Tripoli left 16 people dead, including a child.

It was the deadliest violence to hit the Libyan capital since Haftar's ill-fated attempt to seize it by force in 2019 and 2020.