TRIPOLI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday said it has provided access to clean water for thousands of internally displaced Libyans in and around the capital Tripoli.

A total of "2,547 families, of whom, nearly 4,597 are children have now access to safe and clean water in IDP (internally displaced person) camps," UNICEF Libya tweeted.

"UNICEF with partners Libyan Society distributed cleaning and disinfection items to ensure that children and their families are protected against COVID-19," it said.

Ever since the ouster and killing of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the North African nation has been plagued by escalating violence and unrest, forcing many Libyans to flee their homes amid armed conflict. Enditem