TRIPOLI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Sunday said that education of nearly 120,000 children in the Libyan capital Tripoli has been affected by the armed conflict.

"As the fighting in Tripoli enters its third month, the situation for school children becomes increasingly difficult as they struggle to continue their education and learning," UNICEF said in a statement.

"In April 2019, the Ministry of Education requested the closure of the schools in the conflict areas, directly affecting the education of some 120,000 children," the statement added.

Most schools in the city have been operating with minimum capacity since the beginning of the fighting, and 27 schools are now used as shelters for families who fled their homes in the conflict areas, the statement explained.

The eastern-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over the capital Tripoli from the UN-backed government.

According to the World Health Organization, the fighting so far has killed more than 600 people and injured over 3,000 others.

The army is allied with the eastern-based government, as the country is politically divided between eastern and western governments.