Libya: 'Haftar militias target mosque south of Tripoli'

TRIPOLI

Militias affiliated with eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar targeted a mosque in south of Tripoli, the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said Sunday.

The mosque in Ain Zara town was seriously damaged after being hit by mortar shells, it said in a statement.

The militias, the GNA said, also fired rockets at Mitiga International Airport and its surrounding residential areas.

Government forces are under attack by Haftar's forces since last April, and international efforts to enforce a cease-fire have proven unsuccessful.

The GNA, which launched Operation Peace Storm last month to counter the attacks, claimed on April 13 that its forces removed Haftar militias from at least eight provinces, clearing a 3,000-square-kilometer (1,158-square-mile) area.

Since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: warlord Haftar in eastern Libya supported mainly by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and the GNA in Tripoli, which enjoys the UN and international recognition.

In January this year, the conflicting parties announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by Turkey and Russia. However, the talks for a permanent armistice ended without an agreement after Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan in Ankara