GENEVA, April 25 — The humanitarian situation has sharply deteriorated around the Libyan capital Tripoli, where "densely populated residential areas are gradually turning into battlefields”, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said today.

Hospitals are struggling from chronic shortages of medical supplies amid power outages and weakened water pumping stations, the aid agency said in a statement after three weeks of clashes.

"It is crucial that hospitals, medical facilities, health staff and vehicles transporting the wounded are allowed to carry out their activities safely,” it said. — Reuters