Libya's LNA Says It Hit an Airport West of Tripoli

Tripoli (dpa) - The self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Khalifa Haftar said late Thursday it carried out airstrikes on an airport northwest of Libya, a spokesman of the group said.

The Bawbat al-Wasat website quoted LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari as saying on his Facebook page that the strikes targeted two warehouses at Zuwarah airport which were being used to launch Turkish drones.

Al-Mismari said the warehouses were flattened, but the airport's airstrip and terminal were avoided.

He added that the airstrikes came after information was gathered about the movement of Turkish drones.

"This is a warning message to any place where there is any threat to the capabilities of our people or to the units of our forces," al-Mismari said.

Haftar is believed to be supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, while Turkey and Qatar are thought to be helping the government of National Accord (GNA) in the fight for Tripoli.

In April, Haftar ordered his forces to capture Tripoli from the GNA. The fighting has since reached a stalemate and displaced thousands of civilians.

The oil-rich country is torn between two competing governments: one in Tripoli; and the other based in the eastern city of Tobruk, which is allied with Haftar.

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