The Libyan National Army (LNA) repelled the offensive of the forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) on Tripoli airport, the LNA General Command press service director Khalifa Obeidi said on Monday.

"LNA repelled an armed attack by [GNA armed] groups… on Tripoli airport on Sunday morning," he said.

Obeidi noted that 15 GNA militants, including six mercenaries from Chad, were killed in the clash.

In April, Khalifa Haftar, the head of the LNA, launched an offensive to retake Tripoli from control of the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). The LNA has already recaptured a number of settlements near the capital and the Tripoli International Airport, located around 20 miles away from the city. The forces loyal to the GNA announced a counteroffensive, dubbed Volcano of Rage.

Since the overthrow and killing of Libya's long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has been gripped by conflict. Libya is now divided between two governments, with the eastern part controlled by the LNA, and the western part governed by the UN-backed GNA. </s> BENGHAZI, Libya, April 3 (Reuters) - Forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have been ordered to move to western Libya to fight militants, their media office said on Wednesday.

The deployment is likely to alarm the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, whose Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj has been negotiating over a power-sharing deal with a parallel administration in the east that is allied to Haftar.

A video released by the Libyan National Army (LNA) media offfice showed a convoy of armoured vehicles and pickup trucks mounted with heavy guns on the road.

"In fulfilment of his (Haftar) orders, several military units moved to the western region to purge the remaining terrorist groups located in their last hideouts," the LNA said in a statement with the video.

It gave no details but the area appears to be the coastal road linking the eastern city of Benghazi, the LNA main base, with Tripoli in western Libya.

A resident in Ras Lanuf, an oil town located on the coastal road, said tanks and military convoys were seen heading westwards in the direction of Sirte.

Sirte is in central Libya controlled by a force from the western city of Mistrata allied to the Tripoli administration.

In January, the LNA, which is loyal to Haftar, started a campaign to take control of the south and its oilfields.

The United Nations is holding a conference this month in the southwestern city of Ghadames to discuss a political solution to prepare the country for elections and to avoid a military showdown. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli, Writing by Ahmed Elumami, Editing by Ulf Laessing and Angus MacSwan) </s> BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have moved forces toward western Libya in a possible mission to “liberate the homeland from “terrorism”, officials said on Wednesday, suggesting Tripoli was a desirable destination.

The deployment and rhetoric is likely to alarm the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, whose Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj has been negotiating over a power-sharing deal with a parallel administration in the east that is allied to Haftar.

Ahmed Mismari, a spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA) force controlling eastern Libya, did not say directly whether his force would move on Tripoli in western Libya controlled by the internationally recognized government opposing a parallel administration in the east.

But he said the LNA was gathering forces for a possible mission “to liberate the homeland from terrorism.”

“We expect the women of Tripoli to welcome the Libyan army like the women of Benghazi and Derna did,” he said, referring to two eastern cities which the LNA took by force.

He also called on young people in Tripoli to focus on the battle between LNA and Daesh, or Islamic State, in another hint that military action might be looming.

A video released by the LNA media office showed a convoy of armored vehicles and pickup trucks mounted with heavy guns on the road.

“In fulfillment of his (Haftar) orders, several military units moved to the western region to purge the remaining terrorist groups located in their last hideouts,” the LNA said in a statement with the video.

It gave no details but the area appears to be the coastal road linking the eastern city of Benghazi, the LNA main base, with Tripoli.

A resident in Ras Lanuf, an oil town located on the coastal road, said tanks and military convoys were seen heading westwards in the direction of Sirte.

Sirte is in central Libya controlled by a force from the western city of Mistrata allied to the Tripoli administration.

In January, the LNA, which is loyal to Haftar, started a campaign to take control of the south and its oilfields.

The United Nations is holding a conference this month in the southwestern city of Ghadames to discuss a political solution to prepare the country for elections and to avoid a military showdown. </s> An official representative of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), Ahmed al-Mesmari, accused the Government of National Accord (GNA) head Fayez al-Sarraj of making a deal with terrorist groups, the al-Arabiya broadcaster reported.

"There are alliances between the government and terrorist organisations," al-Mesmari said on Tuesday.

The LNA spokesman's remarks come amid Haftar's troops' advancement on Tripoli which commenced last week; the forces struck positions of the military loyal to the GNA at the city's defunct international airport on Tuesday following an attack on another airport a day earlier. The GNA, in turn, reacted to the offensive by announcing a mobilisation of its forces. Additionally, it vowed to initiate a counteroffensive dubbed operation 'Volcano of Rage' to repel the LNA.

READ MORE: Haftar Army Launches New Strikes on Tripoli International Airport — Reports

The United Nations previously stated that the organisation would hold a conference in the city of Ghadames on 14-16 April to discuss solutions to the conflict. </s> CAIRO, April 4 (Reuters) - Eastern Libyan forces have fully secured the town of Gharyan south of the capital Tripoli and have arrived in the area of al-Heira, a spokesman for the force said on Thursday.

Eastern force commander Khalifa Haftar had earlier announced the start of an operation to take the capital. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy and Hesham Hajali Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Heavens) </s> "Today, a very large meeting of terrorist groups and armed groups took place in Sirte, we know who they belong to. They have a plan proposed at the meeting to attack the Oil Crescent", the spokesman said.

The press conference was broadcast by Arab and Libyan television channels.

READ MORE: Haftar Rep Accuses Libya's GNA of Cooperating With Terrorists — Reports

However, the chairman of Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) Mustafa Sanalla promised to do everything possible to continue oil production and ensure the safety of oil sector employees.

Libya has been suffering from unrest since 2011, when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed. The country is divided between two rival governments, with an elected parliament governing the country's east and the UN- and EU-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) ruling the west from Tripoli.

READ MORE: Libya's Oil Exports Grind to Halt as Haftar's Army Block Eastern Terminals — NOC

The situation escalated last week, when the LNA, backed by the eastern government, announced an offensive against Tripoli in a bid to oust what Haftar called terrorist forces from the city. In response, armed forces loyal to the GNA started a military operation against the LNA on Sunday. </s> According to media reports, an air strike on the southern Libyan town of Murzuq has killed more than 30 people.

The Libyan National Army (LNA) confirmed a strike but denied they had targeted any civilians.

The LNA, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, began the second stage of its offensive on the Libyan capital Tripoli in July.

Tripoli, which is controlled by the Government of National Accord (GNA), has been under attack from the forces of Libyan National Army, commanded by Khalifa Haftar since April.

Libya has been engulfed in an armed conflict between opposing political forces since Western-backed militants murdered the country's former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011. </s> TRIPOLI - The army behind Libya’s UN-backed government has announced a counteroffensive to defend Tripoli, vowing to reclaim all areas seized by forces loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar, who have been marching on the outskirts of the capital.

Colonel Mohamed Gnounou told reporters in Tripoli on Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed “Volcano of Anger”, was aimed at “purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces”.

The announcement came as Haftar’s forces said they conducted the first air raid on a Tripoli suburb as part of their aim oust the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and control Tripoli. The alleged strike came after GNA forces launched air raids on Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) around 50km south of Tripoli on Saturday, reportedly killing one person.

Meanwhile, the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) made an “urgent appeal” for a two-hour truce in the southern suburbs to evacuate the wounded and civilians caught in the fighting.

“[UNSMIL calls on] all armed parties in the Wadi Rabi area, Al-Kayekh, Gasr Ben Ghachir and Al-Aziziya to respect a humanitarian truce (between 14:00 and 16:00 GMT) to secure the evacuation of wounded and civilians by rescue teams and the Libyan Red Crescent”.

Fearing that large-scale fighting could break out, the city’s resident have begun stocking up on food and fuel. At least 35 people, including civilians, have been killed on both sides since Haftar launched his offensive four days ago.

The health ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least 21 people were killed, including a doctor, and 27 others were wounded. Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for Haftar’s forces, said Saturday that 14 troops were killed.

The internationally recognised GNA controls Tripoli, situated in northwestern Libya, while the LNA is allied to a parallel administration based in the east of the oil-rich country, which splintered into a patchwork of competing power bases following the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. On Sunday, the US military said it had temporarily pulled some of its forces out of Libya amid the upsurge of fighting in the North African country. “Due to increased unrest in Libya, a contingent of US forces supporting US Africa Command temporarily relocated from the country in response to security conditions on the ground,” it said in a statement. It did not detail how many military personnel had been withdrawn from Libya.

US Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, said its mission in Libya involves “military support to diplomatic missions, counterterrorism activities, enhancing partnerships and improving security across the region”.

It said it would “continue to monitor conditions on the ground in Libya and assess the feasibility for renewed US military presence as appropriate”. “The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable,” said US Marine Corps General Thomas Waldhauser, commander of US Africa Command.

“Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing US strategy.” On Saturday, the head of the GNA accused Haftar of “betraying” him after the latter launched his military offensive on Tripoli. In a televised speech, Fayez al-Sarraj said Haftar’s forces would meet firm resistance from forces loyal to the GNA.

“We have extended our hands towards peace but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Haftar and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital ... he will find nothing but strength and firmness,” al-Sarraj said. He also warned of “a war without winners”. </s> BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Forces loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar shot down a Tripoli government warplane purportedly flown by a foreign mercenary south of the Libyan capital on Tuesday, the Libyan National Army (LNA) said.

The LNA media unit released photographs of what it said was the pilot receiving medical treatment while seated on a chair. One showed an LNA commander, Abdulsalam al-Hassi, standing behind him.

Video posted on social media, which an LNA source said was authentic, showed the pilot, looking groggy and wearing a blood-soaked T-shirt and khaki jacket, being questioned in English.

Asked his name, he said what sounded to be Jimmy Rees but his answer was not clear. He gave his age as 29 and said he was “from Portugal”.

Asked what he was doing in Libya, he said: “I was requested to destroy roads and bridges”. Asked who sent him, he said it was a civilian contract with someone called Hadi but he did not know his full name.

In Lisbon, the Portuguese Defense Ministry and they could not confirm the pilot’s nationality.

“For now the only thing we can say is that he is not a Portuguese soldier,” a ministry spokeswoman told Reuters.

Reuters correspondents in Lisbon said the man did not sound Portuguese.

A spokesman for forces aligned with the internationally recognized government which is based in Tripoli had no immediate comment on the incident.

Residents of Gharyan, about 80 km (50 miles) south of Tripoli, said that when the plane was heard overhead, anti-aircraft fire opened up. There was an explosion as it was hit.

“The jet was shot down in Al-Hira town (10 km from Gharyan) and I saw LNA troops capturing the pilot,” a Gharyan resident told Reuters.

The eastern-based LNA, led by Haftar and backed principally by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, began an offensive against Tripoli in early April but its advance has been blocked by forces loyal to Tripoli on the city’s southern outskirts.

The escalation is a setback for efforts by the United Nations and Western states to end the chaos and political division in Libya eight years after a NATO-backed uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Libyan National Army (LNA) launches a surprise offensive in western Libya, moving units towards the Government of National Accord-held capital Tripoli, with reports of clashes in the city of Gharyan. The LNA say their operation, ordered by General Khalifa Haftar, is aimed at "cleansing the western zone from terrorist groups".