Libya's National Army Says Destroyed Dozens Of GNA Facilities Near Tripoli

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd April, 2019) The Libyan National Army's (LNA) aircraft have destroyed dozens of facilities belonging to the Government of National Accord (GNA) near the Libyan capital city of Tripoli, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said on Sunday.

"The army supported by aircraft destroyed several dozen facilities belonging to militant groups near Tripoli," Mismari said at a press briefing in Benghazi.

The spokesman indicated that militants were storing weapons and ammunition in residential neighborhoods, but stressed that the LNA planes were carrying out "targeted, limited strikes to avoid harming civilians and civilian facilities.

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The political situation in Libya has been in a critical state since April 4, when Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the LNA head, ordered his troops to advance on Tripoli in a bid to drive what he called terrorist forces out of the city. In response, armed forces loyal to the Tripoli-based GNA started a military operation against the LNA.

Since the overthrow and killing of Libya's long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has been divided between two governments, with the eastern part controlled by the LNA, and the western part governed by the UN-backed GNA, led by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj.