[ad_1]
Several air strikes and explosions shook Tripoli overnight in an badault escalation on the Libyan capital by warlord Khalifa Haftar.
A Reuters reporter and several locals said they saw a plane fly over the city for more than 10 minutes on Saturday night and that it emitted a buzz before opening fire on several areas.
An airplane was heard again after midnight, making more than 10 minutes of turn, then a loud explosion shook the ground.
It was unclear whether a plane or an unmanned drone was behind the strike, which triggered a violent anti-aircraft fire. Residents had reported drone strikes in recent days, but no confirmation was given and explosions that were heard in the city center were stronger than the previous days.
Residents have counted several missile strikes, one of which apparently reportedly hit a military camp of forces loyal to the UN-recognized government in the Sabaa district, south of the capital, scene of the most violent fights between rival forces.
The authorities closed the only operational airport in Tripoli, cutting air links with a city estimated at 2.5 million. The Misrata airport, located 200 km east of the city, remained open.
The Libyan national army of Haftar launched an offensive two weeks ago but failed to violate the government's southern defenses.
If a drone strike was confirmed, it would indicate a more sophisticated war. The LNA has so far mainly used aging Soviet-made air force jets from the former dictator Muammar Gaddafi's air force, lacking firepower and firepower. precision helicopters, according to locals and military sources.
In the past, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt supported Haftar with air strikes.
Libya is on the brink of a total civil war that threatens to end years of diplomatic efforts to reconcile two rival political factions. An advance led by Khalifa Haftar, the warlord in the east of the country, diplomats diplomats and the UN calls in vain for a truce. The French government, European power closest to Haftar, insists that he had not been warned of his badault, which approaches the capital, Tripoli. The result could shape not only the politics of Libya, but also the security of the Mediterranean and the relevance of democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.
To learn more about the fighting in Libya, read our quick guide.
Photography: Hani Amara / X03394
The air strikes, which were also filmed by locals in a video posted online, were set up after a day of violent clashes in the southern neighborhoods of Tripoli, with audible bombings in the city center.
The violence escalated following the announcement Friday by the White House that US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Haftar earlier in the week.
The revelation of the appeal and the statement by the United States that they had "recognized the important role of Marshal Haftar in the fight against terrorism and the securing of Libya's oil resources" reinforced the commander's supporters and exasperated his opponents.
Western powers and the Gulf have split in the face of pressure from Haftar forces to seize Tripoli, undermining UN calls for a ceasefire.
Both parties announced progress in southern Tripoli on Saturday, but no further details were immediately available. A Reuters TV cameraman visiting the southern suburbs of Khalat Furgan heard heavy shelling but found no apparent change on the front.
On Friday, two children were killed during a bombing in southern Tripoli, residents said. The fighting left 227 dead and 1,128 injured, said the World Health Organization before the airstrikes.
Source link
