Clashes resume near Libyan capital

By Walid Abdullah

TRIPOLI (AA) – Clashes resumed south of Tripoli Thursday between forces loyal to Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and forces led by renegade commander Khalifa Haftar.

Following two days of relative calm, clashes erupted in the Al-Aziziyah region located roughly 45 kilometers south of the capital, according to witnesses.

In a statement, the GNA announced that its forces had captured significant territory in the Ain Zara and Wadi al-Rabie areas.

It also said that it had carried out airstrikes against pro-Haftar forces in the city of Garyan, located some 100 kilometers south of Tripoli.

In early April, Haftar launched a wide-ranging campaign aimed at capturing Tripoli, in which the GNA is headquartered.

In the three weeks since, intermittent fighting around the capital has reportedly left scores of people dead.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since longstanding leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Since then, the country has seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, with which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN recognition.