Eastern Libyan forces launched air strikes for a second night on a military base housed within Tripoli’s airport as fighting for the capital continues.
The Libyan National Army (LNA) of renegade commander Khalifa Haftar, which controls eastern Libya, has tried to seize Tripoli from the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in a two-month offensive, but has failed to breach defences in the southern suburbs.
Civilian air traffic from Tripoli’s Mitiga airport has continued despite the war.
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LNA late on Thursday attacked the military section of the airport, targeting a “Turkish plane”, it said in a statement. No further explanation was available.
LNA, supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, accuses Turkey of backing the Tripoli government and its forces.
The eastern army reported a similar strike the previous night, but air traffic was not affected.
Thwarted advance
Haftar’s LNA began the offensive in early April to take the capital from fighters loyal to the GNA’s Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
But military advances have been stymied for weeks in southern Tripoli.
Haftar justified the offensive last month by saying he was fighting against “private militias and extremist groups” who he said were gaining influence under Sarraj.
More than 75,000 people have been driven from their homes and 510 have been killed since the offensive began, according to the World Health Organization.
About 2,400 people have also been wounded, while 100,000 people – including migrants and refugees – are feared trapped by the clashes raging on the outskirts of Tripoli.
The conflict is part of the chaos that has continued in Libya since the toppling of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.
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The fight for Tripoli explained |
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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