For some time, the fighting for Tripoli in Libya seemed to calm down somewhat. But now there are battles again over an air force base. A residential area in the capital is also under fire - not far from the residences of two ambassadors.
Tripoli (dpa) - Near Libya, capital of Tripoli, fighting is ongoing for the Al-Watija airbase. Prime Minister Fajis al-Sarradsch's government fighter jets flew attacks there on Friday, military spokesman Mohammed Gnunu said.
The base is controlled by General Chalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which has its power base in the east of the country. Gnunu said 15 attackers allied with Haftar were killed and seven of their armored vehicles destroyed in the attacks.
The Sarraj government is currently trying to get the base back under its control. The government forces would fight on several fronts, especially near Al-Watija. "The aim of these struggles is to neutralize the base so that it is no longer used to attack civilians," said the Sarraj government.
Haftar had ordered an offensive on Tripoli a year ago. His LNA and allied militias control large parts of the oil-rich country. The troops of the Sarradsch government and allied forces only control a small part of Libya in the Tripoli area. The fighting between the two sides had increased again in the past few weeks.
A LNA military center said Friday that Haftar's troops had attacked Mitiga Air Force base in Tripoli. They had "successfully" hit a launch pad for Turkish drones.
A civilian and two police officers were also killed in an attack near the residences of the Italian and Turkish ambassadors on Friday night. Four other civilians were injured in the Tripoli attack, the Tripoli government said. She blamed Haftar's troops for the attack.
Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Siala spoke of "criminal shelling by Haftar's militias". The shelling near the two residences violated international law. Ambassador Giuseppe Buccino is in Libya for Italy, while Turkey is represented by Ambassador Serhat Aksen. Minister Al-Siala called both diplomats to inquire about their condition. The grenades went down in a park, according to Tripoli. The LNA initially did not comment on the attack.
The EU condemned the latest series of attacks by Haftar forces. Any arbitrary attack against civilians and civil infrastructure is unacceptable and violates international humanitarian law and the principle of respect for human life, said EU foreign policy commissioner Josep Borrell on Friday afternoon on behalf of the EU countries.
The United Nations-recognized Sarraj government is supported by Turkey, among others. Haftar is supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Russia, among others. Despite an existing UN arms embargo, foreign actors are delivering weapons and military equipment to Libya, and some are sending their own mercenaries and soldiers into the country.
An internal UN report came to the conclusion that a maximum of 800 to 1200 paramilitaries from the Russian mercenary company Group Wagner, who are said to have ties to the Kremlin, are fighting in Libya. Among them are experts in the field of artillery and air strikes. Turkey has its own soldiers in northern Libya and has brought allied Syrian militia officers there. Shortly after the Berlin Libya conference in January, according to a BBC report, a cargo ship with weapons also left Turkey on board and headed for Tripoli, accompanied by two Turkish frigates.
Communication from the EU countries
