Fighter jets for Libya's UN-backed government in Tripoli have targeted forces under the command of renegade General Khalifa Haftar, in a bid to halt his military assault on the capital that threatens to further destabilise the country.
As clashes continued on the outskirts of Tripoli on Saturday, human rights groups warned of civilians suffering possible abuses if the fighting escalated, joining a chorus of international powers calling for a cessation of all hostilities.
Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) said in a statement on Saturday it was carrying out an operation to secure Tripoli's former international airport, which sits some 30km south of the city, and would later use it as a launching point for missions aimed at seizing key sites within the capital.
The statement came two days after Haftar ordered the eastern forces to march on Tripoli, which is controlled by the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and protected by an array of militias.
The LNA is allied to a parallel administration based in the east of the oil-rich North African country.
'Sporadic fighting'
Al Jazeera's Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli, said there were conflicting reports regarding the LNA's possible capture of the former airport, with the GNA claiming they had recaptured the site.
Abdelwahed said the site and a clutch of other nearby neighbourhoods were "witnessing military deployments and sporadic fighting", accounting for one of four "major confrontation" zones.
"These areas are on the southern outskirts of Tripoli, near the western gate of Tripoli … and two major frontlines in the west of Libya," Abdelwahed said, adding clashes could erupt in each of the locations "at any time".
The LNA's move on Tripoli has escalated a power struggle that has splintered Libya into a patchwork of competing power bases since the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
In response to Haftar's drive, the GNA has authorised air attacks against "any military activities by [LNA] forces trying to enter the capital", Abdelwahed said.
Pro-GNA forces have amassed in Tripoli in a bid to push-back the LNA offensive, with military units and detachments arriving from cities such Misrata and Zawiya, he added.
As fresh fighting flared south of Tripoli, LNA forces said they had been targeted by an air raid.
"We strongly condemn the air raid ... in the al-Aziziya region" by a jet, which had taken off from western Misrata, said the media office of the eastern forces.
UN pushes for reconciliation conference
Amid the escalating tension, an array of international leaders and organisations have called for all parties to put an end to the ongoing conflict and instead focus their efforts on establishing a roadmap towards elections to resolve Libya's prolonged instability.
On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" over the possibility of "bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli".
"The UN is committed to facilitating a political solution and, whatever happens, the UN is committed to supporting the Libyan people," Guterres said.
Guterres's comments came as he wrapped up a visit to Libya, aimed at helping organise a national reconciliation conference planned for later this month.
UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame, who is set to meet on Saturday in Tripoli GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj, said he was determined that the conference scheduled for April 14-16 would be held on time.
World leaders call for de-escalation
In a statement on Saturday, Human Rights Watch warned that civilians could be caught in the middle of fighting.
"Armed groups loyal to both sides have a record of abusing civilians," the rights group said, adding that LNA fighters "have a well-documented record of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, summary executions of captured fighters, and arbitrary detention".
It statement noted that militias affiliated with the GNA and based in western Libya "also have a record of abuses against civilians".
Amid growing international alarm, the Group of Seven (G7) - a bloc comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan the United Kingdom and the United States - issued a statement on Friday saying there was "no military solution to the Libyan conflict".
"We strongly oppose any military action in Libya. Any Libyan actor or faction that precipitates further civil conflict are harming innocent people and standing in the way of the peace that Libyans deserve," it added.
Meanwhile, after a closed-door emergency meeting in New York, the UN Security Council called on Haftar's forces to halt their advance and warned that those responsible for re-igniting conflict would be held responsible.
The appeal was unanimously backed by the council, including Russia, which has previously supported the 75-year-old.
The council "called on LNA forces to halt all military movements" and "on all forces to de-escalate military activity", said German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who holds the council's presidency.
Haftar, who casts himself as a foe of extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new authoritarian leader in the mould of Gaddafi, has vowed to continue his offensive until Libya is "cleansed" of "terrorism".
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/libya-air-raids-target-haftar-advancing-forces-tripoli-190406120715862.html
2019-04-06 15:31:00Z
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