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World powers and the United Nations have condemned the resumption of fighting in Libya as rebel forces in the east of the country parade into the capital.
The group of rich G7 countries urged all parties to "immediately cease all military activity". The UN Security Council has issued a similar appeal.
Khalifa Haftar, leader of the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), ordered ahead of Tripoli.
The agitation precedes the United Nations conference on possible new elections.
Tripoli is the homeland of the Government of Libya, internationally recognized and supported by the UN.
N troops in the city were placed in a high state of alert. Violence and divisions have torn Libya apart since longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011.
What is happening on the ground?
LNA leader Haftar ordered his forces to advance on Tripoli on Thursday as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in the city to discuss the ongoing crisis.
General Haftar met with Guterres in Benghazi on Friday and told him that his operation would not stop until his troops defeated "terrorism".
On Thursday, LNA forces took the city of Gharyan 100 km south of Tripoli.
According to reports, the troops have reportedly taken the capital's airport, which has been closed since 2014 – although disputed.
Residents of Misrata, east of Tripoli, told the Reuters news agency that militias from their town had been sent to defend the capital.
Armed groups allied with the Tripoli government told the news agency on Friday that they had made a number of prisoners prisoners of the LNA.
LNA troops seized southern Libya and its oil fields earlier this year.
What was the reaction?
In a tweet, Mr. Guterres said that he had left Libya "heavy heart and deeply worried"saying that he still hoped that there would be a way to avoid a battle around the capital.
The G7 subsequently responded to the clashes with a statement calling for an end to military operations.
"We strongly oppose any military action in Libya," reads the statement, reiterating their support for UN efforts to hold elections and calling on all countries to support "sustainable stabilization of Libya ".
The United Nations Security Council held a closed meeting on Friday night. The German ambbadador to the UN, Christoph Heusgen, said that its members had "called on the LNA forces to put an end to all military movements".
"There can be no military solution to the conflict," he said.
A Russian spokesman told reporters that the Kremlin did not support the advance of General Haftar and wanted a solution through "peaceful political means".
UN envoy, Ghbadan Salame, said on Saturday that the scheduled conference from April 14 to 16 would still be on time, despite the escalation – "unless compelling circumstances compel us not to do it".
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