The European Union has condemned the bombing of a food factory in Wadi Rabi area, south of Tripoli, offering condolences to the families of the victims.

"The international humanitarian law must be respected and those who violate it should be held accountable," the EU stressed in a statement Tuesday, underlining that effective and urgent measures must be taken, in order to ensure the safety of civilians.

The statement added that this attack and similar precedents, which targeted civilian areas in Tripoli and its suburbs, indicate the urgency of a political solution, and recalls that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis.

"It is necessary to cease immediately all acts of violence and return to the political process mediated by the United Nations," the statement reads, reaffirming its continued support for the UN envoy to put the political process back on track.

It also considered the Berlin Initiative as an opportunity to end the dispute, address the drivers of conflict, and chart a way forward for stability.