Years of fighting among various militias in the war-torn country reached an apparent crescendo Thursday when Haftar ordered the Libyan National Army (LNA) to march on Tripoli in a bid to take the capital from the government.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday that least 47 people were killed and 181 wounded in the first three days of fighting in the beleaguered North African country.
Nine of the dead are civilians, including two doctors working to provide critical healthcare in Tripoli, the WHO said. About 3,400 people have been displaced, according to UN estimates.
Militias from the coastal towns of Misrata and Zawia — which are not under the UN-recognized government’s direct control — have deployed troops to the capital as part of the counter-offensive against the LNA.
Death toll rises
Based in the city of Benghazi, the general wields control over much of eastern Libya, and has his sights set on Tripoli.
Earlier this week, Tripoli’s only working airport, Mitiga, was shuttered after it was targeted in an airstrike that ignored international calls for a truce. The GNA quickly condemned the aerial bombardment, calling it a war crime.
There has also been fighting around Tripoli’s international airport, 15 miles (24 km) south of the city center, which has not been operational for years. The GNA admitted Monday that it temporarily lost control of the site to Haftar’s fighters.
Armed clashes have been concentrated in areas close to Tripoli, with both sides using “artillery shelling, airstrikes, anti-aircraft missiles and heavy shooting in residential areas,” according to a Health Sector Working Group situation report seen by CNN.
Militants, believed to be from the terrorist group ISIS, carried out an attack on the town of Al-Fuqaha, about 370 miles (600 km) southeast of Tripoli Tuesday, killing two people including the head of the city council, according to Libya’s Al-Ahrar News.
The attackers also kidnapped another person, Al-Ahrar said. The militant group said in a statement it took control of the town for several hours, but did not provide evidence for this claim.
Peace conference?
The UN had planned to hold a conference between April 14 and 16 in the southwestern Libyan town of Ghadames to broker a solution to the crisis.
Amid the escalation of fighting, the UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame called for the conference to be held “as soon as possible” — but it was unclear when that would be, given recent developments.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Benghazi last week for talks with Haftar to push for an international peace deal, but left empty handed.
Following their meeting, Guterres said he was leaving Libya “with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli.”
CNN’s Schams Elwazer and Nada Bashir in London, Kareem Khadder in Amman, Nada Al-Taha in Abu Dhabi and Ruba Alhenawi in Atlanta contributed to this report.
Years of preventing amongst varied militias within the war-torn nation reached an obvious crescendo Thursday when Haftar ordered the Libyan Nationwide Military (LNA) to march on Tripoli in a bid to take the capital from the federal government.
The World Well being Group (WHO) mentioned Tuesday that least 47 folks have been killed and 181 wounded within the first three days of preventing within the beleaguered North African nation.
9 of the lifeless are civilians, together with two docs working to present vital healthcare in Tripoli, the WHO mentioned. About 3,400 folks have been displaced, according to UN estimates.
Militias from the coastal cities of Misrata and Zawia — which aren’t underneath the UN-recognized authorities’s direct management — have deployed troops to the capital as a part of the counter-offensive in opposition to the LNA.
Dying toll rises
Primarily based within the metropolis of Benghazi, the final wields management over a lot of japanese Libya, and has his sights set on Tripoli.
Earlier this week, Tripoli’s solely working airport, Mitiga, was shuttered after it was focused in an airstrike that ignored worldwide requires a truce. The GNA rapidly condemned the aerial bombardment, calling it a warfare crime.
There has additionally been preventing round Tripoli’s worldwide airport, 15 miles (24 km) south of town heart, which has not been operational for years. The GNA admitted Monday that it briefly misplaced management of the positioning to Haftar’s fighters.
Armed clashes have been concentrated in areas shut to Tripoli, with each side utilizing “artillery shelling, airstrikes, anti-aircraft missiles and heavy capturing in residential areas,” according to a Well being Sector Working Group state of affairs report seen by CNN.
Militants, believed to be from the terrorist group ISIS, carried out an assault in town of Al-Fuqaha, about 370 miles (600 km) southeast of Tripoli Tuesday, killing two folks together with the pinnacle of town council, according to Libya’s Al-Ahrar Information.
The attackers additionally kidnapped one other individual, Al-Ahrar mentioned. The militant group mentioned in a assertion it took management of the city for a number of hours, however didn’t present proof for this declare.
Peace convention?
The UN had deliberate to maintain a convention between April 14 and 16 within the southwestern Libyan city of Ghadames to dealer a answer to the disaster.
Amid the escalation of preventing, the UN Particular Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame known as for the convention to be held “as quickly as potential” — nevertheless it was unclear when that may be, given latest developments.
UN Secretary Common Antonio Guterres visited Benghazi final week for talks with Haftar to push for a global peace deal, however left empty handed.
Following their assembly, Guterres mentioned he was leaving Libya “with a heavy coronary heart and deeply involved. I nonetheless hope it’s potential to keep away from a bloody confrontation in and round Tripoli.”
CNN’s Schams Elwazer and Nada Bashir in London, Kareem Khadder in Amman, Nada Al-Taha in Abu Dhabi and Ruba Alhenawi in Atlanta contributed to this report.