Hifter continues to bombard civilians after targeting the migrants center in Tajura. His forces recently targeted a plane carrying a regiment of Libyan pilgrims, and also carried out a raid on Murzuq, which killed dozens including women and children.
Airstrike by Haftar forces kills 20 in Libya
A total of 20 people were killed and more than 35 others were wounded in an airstrike carried out by eastern Libyan forces led by commander Khalifa Haftar in the country’s southwest on Sunday, local media reported, Anadolu reports.
The incident took place in Murzuq town and all the victims were from Tebu tribe, reported Al-Ahrar TV, citing Rahma Adem, deputy from the town,.
However, Murzuq’s Municipal Councilor Mohammed Omar said there was no loss of life and property in the attack targeting Tebu tribe.
The local media reported the attack targeted a wedding procession.
No statement was made by Haftar’s forces.
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Drone attack kills dozens at wedding in Libya
At least 40 people killed, dozens injured when forces loyal to Gen Haftar launch attack in southwestern town of Murzuq.
At least 40 people have been reported killed and dozens injured after an air attack hit a wedding ceremony in southwestern Libya, according to media reports.
Reports said forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftarlaunched the attack on Sunday in the town of Murzuq.
Al Jazeera learned that the victims were attending a wedding when the attack took place.
Nearly 1,100 people have been reported killed since Haftar, based in eastern Libya, launched an offensive against the capital Tripoli on April 4.
On Saturday, Libya’s UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) said it had downed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of Haftar’s forces.
UN envoy Ghassan Salame has proposed a ceasefire for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which starts around August 11, and has called for relaunching negotiations.
On Friday, the European Union had also called for Libya’s warring sides to establish a permanent truce and return to UN-led talks to prepare for quick elections.
On Sunday, France’s President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the situation in Libya calling for a ceasefire “very soon” between the warring sides.
Macron and Sisi discussed Libya “with the aim of backing the United Nations’ plan for a ceasefire very soon and a renewed dialogue” between Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Haftar, Macron’s office said.
Paris has been seeking to position itself as a mediator in the Libyan crisis, fearing its destabilising effects on the Sahel region of Africa.
Egypt, a key backer of Haftar, is concerned about the conflict as it has a long border with Libya.
Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-serving leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising.
Since then, the country has seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, to which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli, which enjoys the UN recognition.
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Libyan Airliner, Carrying 124, Narrowly Avoids Being Hit By Bombing
“The crew on the flight from Benghazi, which was carrying 124 passengers, avoided being hit by bombing on Mitiga International Airport” on Sunday evening, the airport’s management wrote on Facebook.
A Libyan airliner has narrowly escaped being hit by incoming fire as it landed at war-torn capital Tripoli’s sole functioning airport, aviation officials said.
“The crew on the flight from Benghazi, which was carrying 124 passengers, avoided being hit by bombing on Mitiga International Airport” on Sunday evening, the airport’s management wrote on Facebook.
The incident forced the airport to close air traffic and re-route flights to Misrata, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) further east, until late Sunday night.
The origin of the bombs was not clear, and no side has yet claimed responsibility.
Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar’s forces, who control much of eastern Libya, launched an offensive in April to try to wrest Tripoli from forces backing the Government of National Accord (GNA).
United Nations Libya envoy Ghassan Salame last week warned the Security Council of “the increasing frequency of attacks” on Mitiga airport, controlled by pro-GNA forces.
“Several of these attacks have come perilously close to hitting civilian aircraft with passengers on board,” he said.
On Sunday his office condemned the “repeated indiscriminate shelling targeting Mitiga airport, the only indispensable functioning airport available for use by millions of civilians” and aid deliveries in Tripoli.
Mitiga has closed several times since the start of the assault by Haftar, who has accused pro-GNA forces of using the airport for military purposes including as a launch site for Turkish drones to attack his forces.
Located a few kilometres (miles) east of Tripoli, Mitiga is an former military airbase that has been used by civilian traffic since Tripoli’s international airport suffered severe damage during fighting in 2014.
The World Health Organization says that fighting since April has left nearly 1,100 people dead and wounded more than 5,750, and forced more than 100,000 civilians to flee their homes.
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