Tripoli outskirts witnessed violent clashes Sunday evening, spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA) said.
In a press conference in Benghazi, Ahmed al-Mismari admitted the battles were intense in Aziziya and Suani bin Adem districts, however the fighting subsided on Monday because of bad weather conditions.
The LNA launched successful raids that destroyed warehouses that belong to the forces allied with Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), the spokesperson added.
Mismari noted that the army made a list of troops killed among the forces allied to the Government of National Accord, which included fighters from Arab and foreign countries.
“It is no surprise as the army is actually fighting al-Qaeda,” he commented.
On April 4, the Benghazi-based LNA announced the launch of an offensive against Tripoli. So, all military units loyal to the GNA geared up to defend the capital. The warring factions are currently involved in battles along the outskirts of Tripoli.
In the past, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt supported the LNA with airstrikes to take eastern Libya. Both countries flew air strikes on Tripoli in 2014 during a different conflict, U.S. officials said at the time.
Since 2014, the UAE and Egypt have provided the LNA with military equipment such as aircraft and helicopters, helping it gain the upper hand in Libya’s eight-year conflict, UN reports have established.
The UAE even built an airbase in al-Khadim in eastern Libya, one such report said in 2017.
