TRIPOLI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland on Monday urged Libyan authorities to dismantle militias and armed groups in the country.

Mourners carry coffins during a funeral of military cadets killed in an airstrike in Tripoli, Libya, January 5, 2020. (Photo: AP)

The ambassador made his remarks during a meeting with Fathi Bashaga, interior minister of the UN-backed government.

"Amb. Norland met with Interior Minister Bashaga today and reaffirmed U.S. support for ongoing efforts by Libyan authorities to dismantle and disarm militias and armed groups," U.S. Embassy in Libya tweeted.

"Such militias represent a serious threat to building a strong, democratic, and unified state in Libya," it warned.

Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.