Libyan Army enters downtown al-Asabaa

TRIPOLI

The Libyan Army on Thursday entered al-Asabaa downtown after clashes with warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia.

Libya Al-Ahrar TV channel cited unnamed military source as saying the army launched an attack on the remnants of Haftar's militia, who had escaped from the al-Watiya airbase.

On Wednesday, the Libyan army said it was in progress towards liberating the town located 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the capital Tripoli from Haftar's militia.

Local tribes in al-Asabaa announced their support to the Libyan government on the same day.

Libya’s army on Monday retook al-Watiya Airbase, a key facility now back under government control after some six years under putschist forces of warlord Khalifa Haftar.

The move came after the Libyan army destroyed three Russian-made Pantsir type air defense systems used by Haftar’s forces that were also supplied by the UAE.

Libya's government has been under attack by Haftar's forces since April 2019, with more than 1,000 killed in the violence.

Following the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya's government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led political deal.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara.