WASHINGTON 

The U.S. on Wednesday strongly condemned an "abhorrent" attack on a migrant detention facility in a suburb of Libya’s capital.

In a statement, the State Department offered condolences to the families of the victims and called for a return to the political process.

Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) blamed forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar for the airstrike in Tripoli, which occurred late Tuesday and reportedly left 44 people dead and more than 100 injured.

"This tragic and needless loss of life, which impacted one of the most vulnerable populations, underscores the urgent need for all Libyan parties to de-escalate fighting in Tripoli and return to the political process, which is the only viable path to lasting peace and stability in Libya," said the statement.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an international investigation into the attack.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011 when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of long-serving President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.

Since then, Libya’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power -- one in Tobruk and another in Tripoli -- and a host of heavily armed militia groups.