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Shellings in Tripoli, Libya, Hit Civilians

Smoke rises after an attack carried out by fighters loyal to Haftar on a coastal road in Tajura region in Tripoli Smoke rises after an attack carried out by fighters loyal to Haftar on a coastal road in Tajura region in Tripoli Anadolu Agency

8 May 2020

Khalifa Haftar’s offense targeted the capital Tripoli causing the death of several civilians

Violence in Libya keeps spreading within the country and the most targeted individuals are  civilians.

On Friday, the government reported about the death of at least three people, including a civilian following the rocket attacks by forces loyal to Libyan renegade military commander  Khalifa Haftar. The attack targeted the capital Tripoli and a nearby area. Mustafa al-Mujie, the spokesman for the government's military campaign to combat Haftar's assault on Tripoli, added that rockets hit Tripoli port, International Airport, and a coastal road. In a statement, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Taher Siala said the attacks did not comply with international laws as they struck the coastal road near the residences of Turkish and Italian ambassadors. However, according to Operation Volcano of Rage's media centre, six members of an armed group loyal to Haftar surrendered to the Government of National Accord (GNA) on Friday. Also, at least five civilians were killed and dozens wounded when Haftar's armed forces shelled two Tripoli neighbourhoods, Tajoura and Abu Salim.

Regarding both shellings, Amin al-Hashemi, a spokesman for the health ministry of GNA commented that  "This the first time since the beginning of 2020 that residential neighborhoods are that intensively targeted". The situation in Libya is very conflictive since 2011 and since 2015 the territory is split into two rival administrations, east and west, both backed by armed groups and foreign forces. France, Russia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates support Haftar’s offensive while the government in Tripoli is backed by Turkey, Italy, and Qatar.

 

To learn more, please read:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/libya-killed-tripoli-shelling-blamed-haftar-forces-200508060216549.html

https://www.rushhourdaily.com/libya-three-killed-in-tripoli-shelling-blamed-on-haftars-lna/

 

Author: Giulia Francescon; Editor: Shrabya Ghimire

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