Libyan government forces advance further against Haftar

By Gulsen Topcu, Enes Canli, Aydogan Kalabalik and Halime Afra Aksoy

ANKARA (AA) - Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) announced late Monday that it has regained control of around 2,000 square miles of land west of the capital Tripoli from militias loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar.

In a statement, GNA military spokesman Mohammed Qanunu said the forces have taken back 1,860 square miles of land following intense fighting with Haftar’s forces.

Qanunu said an armory, large amount of ammunition and military equipment belonging to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates were also seized.

He said as part of Operation Peace Storm, GNA forces also seized six panzers, 10 tanks, hundreds of heavy and light weapons and ammunition and Grad rockets belonging to the UAE after retaking the cities.

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj announced that the corpses of mercenaries loyal to Haftar who were killed in the conflict will be sent back to their countries.

He said they have adopted this method to show these countries what their citizens are doing in Libya.

Sudan’s Foreign Ministry meanwhile claimed that any force affiliated with the Sudanese army is not involved in clashes in Libya.

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

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

*Writing by Fahri Aksut