4 family members die in Haftar attack in Libya

By Enes Canli

ANKARA (AA) - Four people in the same family lost their lives Saturday when forces loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar struck a house in southern Tripoli.

Amin al-Hashemi, a spokesman for the Libyan Health Ministry, said a rocket attack struck the Ain Zara region and the family members were killed as they were breaking their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Haftar intensified attacks on civilians at the beginning of May as the Libyan army recently gained the advantage and inflicted severe losses on his militants.

In the first week of May, forces linked to Haftar struck civilian settlements, killing 15 and wounding 30. Fourteen civilians were killed in attacks targeting Tripoli between May 5 - 7.

The Libyan government has been under attack by Haftar’s forces since April 2019, with more than 1,000 killed in the violence. It launched Operation Peace Storm on March 26 to counter attacks on the capital.

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 Ali Murat Alhas