Fighting has flared in southern Tripoli as General Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) intensified its assault on the capital despite a United Nations appeal for a cease fire. The United Nations mission to Libya (Unsmil) called for an "urgent" two hour truce to allow the evacuation of civilians and wounded from Tripoli's southern suburbs on Sunday, where troops loyal to the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) were battling to halt the LNA assault on the city. But the violence saw no sign of abating, with Gen Haftar's forces launching at least one airstrike on a Tripoli suburb, and witnesses reported hearing grad rockets firing to the south of the city. The airstrike was the LNA's first use of air power in the battle. It came after pro-government forces launched air-raids on Saturday. Militiamen from the western city of Misrata head into Tripoli to reinforce the UN-backed government Credit: STRINGER/EPA-EFE/REX Clashes were concentrated on the mainly farmland area of Wadi Raba and the disused international airport, 15 miles south of the capital. Haftar's forces claimed to have seized the airport on Saturday. Colonel Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for pro-government forces, on Sunday said a counter offensive had been launched to push Haftar’s troops back. He said operation "Volcano of Anger" was aimed at "purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces", in reference to Haftar fighters. Pro-GNA forces have been reinforced by powerful militia groups from the western city of Misrata, Zintan, and Zawiya. At least one armed group from Misrata known as Brigade 166 arrived Saturday in eastern Tripoli, according to AFP. The health ministry in Tripoli said at least 21 people were killed and 27 wounded in the fighting. The United States, which maintains a small contingent in the country to protect diplomatic facilities and help local forces fight al-Qaeda, said it was withdrawing some of its troops for security reasons. A handout photo made available by Libyan Army Media office on 05 April 2019 shows Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres (R) shaking hands with commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar (L) in Benghazi, eastern Libya Credit: LIBYAN ARMY MEDIA OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX "The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command. "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy." Libya has been divided between various armed groups since the Nato-backed uprising that overthrew Muammar Gadaffi in 2011. The main centres of power are the Tripoli-based GNA, and a rival administration allied to Gen Haftar in the east of the country. Gen Haftar has portrayed himself as a bulwark against militant Islamists and has received military backing from Egypt, France, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. He is also endorsed by a Saudi Arabia-based Salafist cleric and recently met Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman in Riyadh. Critics say he wants to be a Gaddafi-style dictator, and his assault on Tripoli is widely seen as a bid to change facts on the ground ahead of a UN-sponsored national reconciliation conference later this month. The move has drawn international condemnation and analysts say it is not yet clear his forces are capable of defeating the alliance of groups defending Tripoli.
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