The 40th session of the UNESCO committee, which kicked off in Istanbul on Sunday and is due to last through July 20, is reviewing the condition of cultural sites protected by the body as well as examining new proposals to be added to the World Heritage List.
"The World Heritage Committee today placed the five World Heritage sites of Libya on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of damage caused by the conflict affecting the country and the threat of further damage it poses," the UNESCO statement reads.
Libya has been in a state of turmoil since 2011, when long-standing leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown after several months of civil war. The country was later contested by two rival governments — the internationally-recognized Council of Deputies and the Tripoli-based General National Congress.
On March 31, the long-anticipated UN-backed Government of National Accord in Libya started to perform its duties, with the conflict outcomes yet to be addressed. The government has so far failed to unite the country. The Daesh terrorist organization, which is outlawed in many countries, including Russia, also maintains a significant presence in the country, especially in and round Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte.
