Forces Of Libya's GNA Seize Town Of Bani Waled From LNA - Military Spokesman

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2020) The forces of Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) have entered the town of Bani Waled, located roughly 110 miles southeast of Tripoli, which was previously held by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, GNA military spokesman Mohammed Qanunu said on Friday.

"GNA forces took control of Bani Waled Airport and entered the town itself," a statement by Qanunu published by the official Twitter account of Operation Volcano of Rage, the mission name for the GNA forces' counteroffensive against the LNA, read.

Earlier in the day, Qanunu stated that the GNA forces had also seized the town of Tarhuna, which was one of Haftar's major strongholds in western Libya.

The GNA on Thursday stated that its forces have completely pushed the LNA out of Tripoli. Haftar launched an offensive on the Libyan capital in January but has suffered losses after the GNA began a counteroffensive in April.

Haftar stated that the LNA had moved its forces out of the administrative borders of Tripoli in order to expedite the resumption of UN-led talks within the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which was established after January's Berlin peace conference on Libya.