'Foreign Power' Allegedly Supports LNA Advance on Tripoli Libya With Airstrikes

‘Foreign Power’ Allegedly Supports LNA Advance With Airstrikes

Marshal Haftar Announces New Offensive on Tripoli! Libyan Civil War in Full Swing Again

Offensive on Tripoli will be ‘final decisive battle’ – LNA spokesperson

The Libyan National Army (LNA) offensive on Tripoli is building towards a “final decisive battle,” according to LNA spokesperson Ahmed Mismari, speaking at a press conference in Benghazi on Monday. The announcement comes three weeks after LNA commander General Khalifa Haftar ordered troops to seize the nation’s capital, prompting forces loyal to the internationally-recognised government to launch a counter-offensive. The conflict’s death toll has reached 254, with 1228 people suffering injuries, according to the World Health Organisation.

PressTV-Libyan troops push back Haftar’s forces south of Tripoli

Forces supporting Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) have managed to push back militiamen loyal to the renegade commander of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), Khalifa Haftar, dozens of kilometers south of Tripoli as fighting around the capital continues unabated.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Haftar’s forces were repulsed more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) southwest of the capital as troops aligned to the internationally recognized government targeted them.

Local sources said the small town of ‘Aziziya was fully under the control of forces backing the Tripoli administration, with shops reopening after days of fierce skirmishes.

Haftar launched his deadly campaign on April 4, when he ordered his loyalists to invade Tripoli and seize it from troops aligned to the GNA.

In recent days, troops loyal to Tripoli have driven back the LNA forces in the southern suburb of Ain Zara. Militiamen loyal to Haftar have, however, said they had launched air strikes on military sites in the capital.

The clashes have raised fears of a worsening conflict in the North African country…..

……… “We call on the parties for the protection of civilians and humanitarian aid,” UNHCR spokesman Barbar Baloch said.

On Monday, the UN’s deputy envoy to Libya Maria do Valle Ribeiro expressed concern over “the increasing rate of displacement” and stressed that the world body needs to ramp up its humanitarian response in the conflict-plagued Arab country.

“We are likely to see a continuation of hostilities for some time to come,” Ribeiro said at a press briefing in Tripoli.

She added, “For that we need to gear up and accelerate and increase our capacity to be able to respond.”

“We’re also very concerned by the fact that displacement is continuing at an increasing rate every day,” the top UN official told reporters.