By REUTERS
3-4 minutes
A member of Libya's internationally recognised government
forces carries a weapon in Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya October 14, 2019.
Picture taken October 14, 2019.
(photo credit: ISMAIL ZITOUNY/ REUTERS)
Forces aligned with
Libya's internationally recognized government said they had advanced on Saturday on Tarhouna, a key support base for their eastern-based rival Khalifa Haftar.
The
advance comes days after forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government
of National Accord (GNA) had pushed back Haftar's allies along the coast
west of the capital, marking a possible turning point in their attempt
to fend off a year-long offensive by Haftar's Libyan National Army
(LNA).
Tarhouna, about 65 km (45 miles) southeast of the capital,
Tripoli, has been a crucial asset for the LNA, providing local manpower
for a campaign that has leaned heavily on air support supplied by the
United Arab Emirates as well as Russian military contractors.
GNA
attempts to swing Tarhouna to its side have failed. The GNA has depended
on military support including drone strikes provided by Turkey, which
has stepped up its involvement in Libya's conflict this year.
One
witness from Tarhouna said residents had heard loud blasts from Saturday
morning, followed by the sound of intensive clashes in an outlying area
of the town that continued for up to six hours.
LNA officials
told Reuters the GNA forces had failed to enter the town and that the
offensive, the first since Haftar launched his military bid for Tripoli
in early April 2019, had been repelled. They also said they had shot
down a drone.
LNA forces control eastern and southern Libya and
have been positioned around the outskirts of Tripoli for a year. The
capital has seen heavy bombardment in recent days, and shelling
continued on Saturday, wounding at least 10 civilians, local medics
said.
The GNA has also been trying to capture al-Watiya airbase,
about 125 km (80 miles) southwest of Tripoli and the LNA's other
strategic foothold in Tripoli.
Libya is struggling to prepare for
the expected spread of the new coronavirus, and the GNA on Friday
imposed a 24-hour curfew in western regions it controls for 10 days.
Libya has confirmed 49 cases, including one death.
Libya slid into turmoil
after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled former ruler Muammar
Gaddafi. Since 2014 rival factions based in Tripoli and the east have
vied for power.
Join Geezgo for free. Use Geezgo's end-to-end encrypted Chat with your Closenets (friends, relatives, colleague etc) in personalized ways.>>
Comments
Post a Comment