Libyan government shells Haftar forces

TRIPOLI

Libya’s UN-recognized government Friday bombarded forces and mercenaries loyal to military commander Khalifa Haftar, according to the media office of the Burkan Al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) operation.

Government of National Accord (GNA) forces shelled an armory belonging to Haftar’s forces in Yarmouk district south of Tripoli.

Haftar’s forces launched an operation Thursday in the Salahaddin region south of the capital, leading to the exodus of many civilians, but GNA forces repelled the attack.

In April, Haftar's forces launched a military campaign to capture Tripoli from the internationally recognized government but have so far failed to progress beyond the city’s outskirts.

However, on Dec. 12, Haftar announced that he had ordered his militants to launch a “decisive battle” to capture the capital.

According to UN data, more than 1,000 people have been killed since the start of the operation and more than 5,000 injured.

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

*Writing by Burak Dag