BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The Latest on the situation in Libya (all times local):

The European Union's foreign policy chief has called on all sides in the escalating Libyan military conflict to stop fighting and start talking.

Federica Mogherini said Monday that European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg were united in their call for a truce.

Mogherini says all sides in the recent surge in fighting should "go back to the negotiating table under the auspices of the U.N. and make sure that the Libyan people get what they really want, which is peace and stability for their country."

The U.N. says that fighting over Libya's capital that erupted last week has already displaced 2,800 people. The death toll has risen to 49, including civilians.

Libya is a departure point for many refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The only functional airport in the Libyan capital has announced it was hit by an airstrike amid clashes between rival armed groups for control of Tripoli. No casualties were reported.

The official Facebook page of the Mitiga airport said a fighter jet attacked the facility on Monday. There were no other details.

A video circulated online shows a fighter jet firing and allegedly targeting the airport. The facility, located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of the city center, originally functioned as a military base.

The fighting for Tripoli erupted last week when the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital, clashing with rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government.

The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Libya says 2,800 people have been displaced by fighting between rival militias over the capital, Tripoli.

Maria do Valle Ribeiro said Monday that clashes have prevented emergency services from reaching casualties and civilians, and have damaged electricity lines.

She warned that the increased violence is worsening the situation for migrants held in Tripoli's detention centers.

Fighting was underway Monday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital last week.

Rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli have vowed to recapture all the areas recently seized by Hifter's forces.

The two sides reported that at least 41 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.</s>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 to overthrow the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and take control of Tripoli.

The alleged attack 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.

The health ministry of the UN-backed Libyan government said on Sunday that clashes in the southern part of Tripoli resulted in 11 killed and 23 wounded.

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."

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, who spoke to UN special envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame on Monday, said Europe's message should be for "a full implementation of the humanitarian truce ... and to avoid any further military action and escalation and a return to the political track".

Civilians flee

Fearing that large-scale fighting could break out, the city's residents have begun stocking up on food and fuel.

Some 2,200 people had already fled fighting south of Tripoli since April 4, the UN humanitarian office said in a new report.

"The civilian population in some combat-affected areas are unable to flee the area and emergency services are unable to reach them," the report said.

"The fast increasing deployment of forces could potentially result in significant population displacement," it said.

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, a spokesman for Haftar's forces, said on Saturday that 14 troops were killed.

The 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 in 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.

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."

'Betrayal'

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".

Al-Sarraj and Haftar held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, during which they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the UN.

"They also agreed on ways to maintain stability in the country and unify its institutions," the UN Libya mission said in a Twitter post after the Abu Dhabi meeting.

Jason Pack, the founder of consultancy organisation Libya Analysis, argued that the goal of Haftar's offensive was not to capture Tripoli but make a statement before a UN-sponsored national conference scheduled for later in April.

"It is a media conflict. Haftar is posturing before the national conference. He's parading his troops, he's making a few air strikes here, trying to control some strategic points but not trying to conquer the city by force as he'd like to have us believe," Pack said.

"I think that the UN and the international community has doubled down on this conference, that they're not going to be swayed by violence and spoilers and that they have a plan.

"The problem is that there is a lot of dissension within international ranks. It's actually quite shameful now. The French do one thing with their statements and do another thing on the ground and there are other actors who are saying we support the UN position but actually are known to be supporting on the side or factions."</s>Rapidly escalating violence is limiting civilians' ability to travel in and out of Libya's capital. An airstrike on Tripoli's international airport Monday and other recent clashes have now forced some 3,400 people to leave their homes, according to the U.N.'s Humanitarian Affairs office.

"Clashes with heavy weapons are affecting residential areas, and an unknown additional number of civilians are unable to flee these locations," the office said Monday.

The fighting intensified over the weekend, as soldiers loyal to Khalifa Haftar — the former army chief who now leads the Libyan National Army — neared the capital. Haftar, who is aligned with Gaddafi regime loyalists, has amassed power and resources in eastern Libya. Last week, he launched an offensive to the west, aiming to take control of the capital.

The death toll from the clashes has risen to at least 51, the Associated Press reports — citing a figure that includes both civilian and military casualties.

Relief workers are warning of a wide range of potential risks, from emergency aid that's been blocked by the fighting to possible long-term damage to the city's infrastructure. It's the latest sign of renewed instability in Libya, where conflict and political uncertainty have lingered since 2011.

As he pressed his fight against the U.N.-backed central Government of National Accord, or GNA, Haftar launched an air strike on the city's lone functioning civilian airport, Mitiga, on Monday.

The attack "constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law which prohibits attacks against civilian infrastructure," the U.N. Support Mission in Libya said.

"The U.N. humanitarian office has recorded four civilian deaths over the past two days," Lisa Schlein reports for NPR from Geneva. "Among the victims were two medical doctors who were killed during the clashes. U.N. agencies say they have stocks of food and emergency medical supplies in locations throughout Tripoli and can respond rapidly to a possible upsurge in humanitarian needs."

The World Health Organization condemned the doctors' killing, saying it was the latest in a string of violence that has either damaged or closed more than 20 hospitals over the years.

"These doctors risked their lives to evacuate wounded patients from conflict areas," said WHO Regional Director Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari, "and targeting them and health facilities at such times worsens the situation for civilians caught up in conflict."

On Sunday, the deteriorating situation in Libya prompted U.S. Africa Command to announce it had "temporarily relocated" a contingent of U.S. forces.

"The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the Marine Corps commander of Africa Command. "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy.

Haftar agreed to meet with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres last Friday. But after that meeting, Guterres said he was leaving Libya "with a deep concern and a heavy heart."

Both the U.N. and the U.S. insist that a political process — not a military clash — is the only solution that will give Libya a lasting peace and functioning government.

"We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday.</s>The Libyan National Army of Marshal Khalifa Haftar last Thursday marched on the national capital with the stated goal of wrestling it from terrorists. The administration in Tripoli announced a counteroffensive on Sunday, dubbed Volcano of Rage, to repel the National Army.

READ MORE: Libya Quagmire Could Continue for Years to Come — Researcher

The French president "harshly criticized the aggression against the capital, which puts civilians at risk", the Tripoli-based government said in a statement. Sarraj promised to Macron he would "stand up to this aggression", adding Haftar "has only one option which is to immediately stop… and go back to where he came from".

Libya has been gripped by political turmoil since its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was deposed and killed in 2011.

The country is currently split between two rival administrations, with an elected parliament governing the east and the government of Prime Minister Sarraj ruling the west from Tripoli.

READ MORE: Russia Concerned Over Use of Combat Aircraft by Armed Groups in Libya</s>The Libyan National Army (LNA) on Sunday conducted airstrikes as part of its deadly military offensive towards Tripoli which aims to bring the country "back to the international community" despite western condemnation, a spokesman for the rebel group told Euronews.

The eastern Libyan forces, led by Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, launched a military offensive on April 4 to take the country's capital, Tripoli, held by the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The House of Representatives, based in the east have fought the GNA for control of the north-African country since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The eastern government are an elected entity and the LNA support them.

"Our troops' advance is going well, as we strengthened our quick and successful military gains," Haftar military spokesman, General Ahmed Mismari, told Euronews in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

"Our forces launched the first airstrikes on three positions. Two of them were aimed at supporting the advance of land forces. The third airstrike targeted artillery positions some 60 km west of El Azizia (about 40 km southwest of Tripoli)," he added.

He argued that the battle for Tripoli "was specifically launched to defend civilians, to defend the Libyan people, to defend our country resources, for the dignity of Libya."

The GNA's Health Ministry said on Monday that at least 25 people have so far died in the fighting. One of the dead is believed to be a member of the Red Crescent's medical staff.

According to the UN, the escalation of violence has also caused the displacement of more than 2,800 people. The organisation renewed its call for a temporary humanitarian truce on Monday to "allow for the provision of emergency services and the voluntary passage of civilians, including those wounded, from areas of conflict."

A call for a two-hour truce on Sunday went ignored.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that Washington has "made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan Capital."

Britain's Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said there was "no justification for LNA move on Tripoli" while the European Union's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, described the situation as "increasingly worrying" upon arriving at a meeting of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.

"I believe the challenge is now for different Libyan factions and leaders to overcome personal interests and serve the Libyan people that want to turn the page, and find a compromise and a solution," she added.

READ MORE: France under pressure to condemn Haftar strike

'It is in the public interest'

But Mismari rejected such criticism, telling Euronews that this "campaign is aimed at bringing Libya back to the international community."

"It is in the public interest so that Libya enjoys its natural position and becomes a good and positive country instead of being a land that exports terror to all countries."

"European countries fear for civilians safety but I can assure you that our first concern is the civilians and humanitarian considerations," he argued.

A UN-backed National Conference, gathering members from the GNA and LNA, to discuss ways to break the political impasse and draw up a road map for elections had been scheduled for April 14-16.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The Latest on the situation in Libya (all times local):

The European Union's foreign policy chief has called on all sides in the escalating Libyan military conflict to stop fighting and start talking.

Federica Mogherini said Monday that European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg were united in their call for a truce.

Mogherini says all sides in the recent surge in fighting should "go back to the negotiating table under the auspices of the U.N. and make sure that the Libyan people get what they really want, which is peace and stability for their country."

The U.N. says that fighting over Libya's capital that erupted last week has already displaced 2,800 people. The death toll has risen to 49, including civilians.

Libya is a departure point for many refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The only functional airport in the Libyan capital has announced it was hit by an airstrike amid clashes between rival armed groups for control of Tripoli. No casualties were reported.

The official Facebook page of the Mitiga airport said a fighter jet attacked the facility on Monday. There were no other details.

A video circulated online shows a fighter jet firing and allegedly targeting the airport. The facility, located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of the city center, originally functioned as a military base.

The fighting for Tripoli erupted last week when the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital, clashing with rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government.

The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Libya says 2,800 people have been displaced by fighting between rival militias over the capital, Tripoli.

Maria do Valle Ribeiro said Monday that clashes have prevented emergency services from reaching casualties and civilians, and have damaged electricity lines.

She warned that the increased violence is worsening the situation for migrants held in Tripoli's detention centers.

Fighting was underway Monday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital last week.

Rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli have vowed to recapture all the areas recently seized by Hifter's forces.

The two sides reported that at least 41 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The Latest on the situation in Libya (all times local):

The European Union's foreign policy chief has called on all sides in the escalating Libyan military conflict to stop fighting and start talking.

Federica Mogherini said Monday that European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg were united in their call for a truce.

Mogherini says all sides in the recent surge in fighting should "go back to the negotiating table under the auspices of the U.N. and make sure that the Libyan people get what they really want, which is peace and stability for their country."

The U.N. says that fighting over Libya's capital that erupted last week has already displaced 2,800 people. The death toll has risen to 49, including civilians.

Libya is a departure point for many refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The only functional airport in the Libyan capital has announced it was hit by an airstrike amid clashes between rival armed groups for control of Tripoli. No casualties were reported.

The official Facebook page of the Mitiga airport said a fighter jet attacked the facility on Monday. There were no other details.

A video circulated online shows a fighter jet firing and allegedly targeting the airport. The facility, located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of the city center, originally functioned as a military base.

The fighting for Tripoli erupted last week when the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital, clashing with rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government.

The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Libya says 2,800 people have been displaced by fighting between rival militias over the capital, Tripoli.

Maria do Valle Ribeiro said Monday that clashes have prevented emergency services from reaching casualties and civilians, and have damaged electricity lines.

She warned that the increased violence is worsening the situation for migrants held in Tripoli's detention centers.

Fighting was underway Monday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital last week.

Rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli have vowed to recapture all the areas recently seized by Hifter's forces.

The two sides reported that at least 41 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.</s>The United States has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to “security conditions on the ground”, a top military official has said.

The move comes as a Libyan commander’s forces advanced toward the capital of Tripoli and clashed with rival militias.

A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years, helping local forces combat Islamic State and al Qaida militants, as well as protecting diplomatic facilities.

“The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable,” said Marine Corps General Thomas Waldhauser, the head of US Africa Command.

“Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing US strategy.”

He did not provide details on the number of US troops that have been withdrawn or how many remain in the country.

Footage circulating online showed two apparent US Navy transport craft manoeuvring off a beach in Janzur, east of Tripoli, sending up plumes of spray as American forces were ferried from the shore.

The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the country’s 15 central reserve police force peacekeepers were evacuated on Saturday from Tripoli because the “situation in Libya has suddenly worsened” and fighting has moved into the capital city.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise offensive against the capital last week, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war.

Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

In recent years, the country has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.

Fayez Sarraj, head of government in Tripoli, accused Mr Hifter of “betraying” him.

“We have extended our hands towards peace, but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Hifter and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital … he will find nothing but strength and firmness,” Mr Sarraj said Saturday in televised comments.

Mr Sarraj and Mr Hifter held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, when they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the UN.

Mr Hifter is seeking to capture the capital and seize military control of the whole country before UN-sponsored talks due to start next week that were designed to set a time frame for possible elections in the oil-rich country.

The UN envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the UN is determined to hold the planned conference.

Fighting was under way Sunday at the international airport, some 15 miles from central Tripoli, after Mr Hifter claimed to have seized the area.

The airport was destroyed in a previous bout of militia fighting in 2014.

Mr Hifter said his forces had launched airstrikes targeting rival militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.

The rival militias, which are affiliated with a UN-backed government in Tripoli, said they had also carried out airstrikes, slowing Mr Hifter’s advance.

Armed groups behind the UN-backed government of national accord, or GNA, have announced an effort to defend Tripoli, vowing to recapture all areas seized by Mr Hifter’s forces.

Colonel Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for GNA forces, said in televised comments Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed Volcano Of Anger, was aimed at “purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces”.

The two sides reported that at least 35 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.

The Health Ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least 21 people, including a physician, were killed and at least 27 wounded.

Ahmed al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Mr Hifter’s forces, said on Saturday that 14 troops had been killed since the offensive began.

The fighting has displaced hundreds of people, the UN migration agency said.

The UN mission to Libya called for a two-hour ceasefire on Sunday in parts of Tripoli to evacuate civilians and the wounded.

The LNA is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia.

It answers to the authorities based in eastern Libya, who are at odds with the UN-backed government.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The Latest on the situation in Libya (all times local):

The European Union's foreign policy chief has called on all sides in the escalating Libyan military conflict to stop fighting and start talking.

Federica Mogherini said Monday that European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg were united in their call for a truce.

Mogherini says all sides in the recent surge in fighting should "go back to the negotiating table under the auspices of the U.N. and make sure that the Libyan people get what they really want, which is peace and stability for their country."

The U.N. says that fighting over Libya's capital that erupted last week has already displaced 2,800 people. The death toll has risen to 49, including civilians.

Libya is a departure point for many refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The only functional airport in the Libyan capital has announced it was hit by an airstrike amid clashes between rival armed groups for control of Tripoli. No casualties were reported.

The official Facebook page of the Mitiga airport said a fighter jet attacked the facility on Monday. There were no other details.

A video circulated online shows a fighter jet firing and allegedly targeting the airport. The facility, located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of the city center, originally functioned as a military base.

The fighting for Tripoli erupted last week when the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital, clashing with rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government.

The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Libya says 2,800 people have been displaced by fighting between rival militias over the capital, Tripoli.

Maria do Valle Ribeiro said Monday that clashes have prevented emergency services from reaching casualties and civilians, and have damaged electricity lines.

She warned that the increased violence is worsening the situation for migrants held in Tripoli's detention centers.

Fighting was underway Monday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter, began an offensive against the capital last week.

Rival militias that support the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli have vowed to recapture all the areas recently seized by Hifter's forces.

The two sides reported that at least 41 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.</s>The United States has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to “security conditions on the ground”, a top military official has said.

The United States has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to “security conditions on the ground”, a top military official has said.

US pulls some troops from Libya as warring faction marches on Tripoli

The move comes as a Libyan commander’s forces advanced toward the capital of Tripoli and clashed with rival militias.

A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years, helping local forces combat Islamic State and al Qaida militants, as well as protecting diplomatic facilities.

“The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable,” said Marine Corps General Thomas Waldhauser, the head of US Africa Command.

“Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing US strategy.”

He did not provide details on the number of US troops that have been withdrawn or how many remain in the country.

Footage circulating online showed two apparent US Navy transport craft manoeuvring off a beach in Janzur, east of Tripoli, sending up plumes of spray as American forces were ferried from the shore.

The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the country’s 15 central reserve police force peacekeepers were evacuated on Saturday from Tripoli because the “situation in Libya has suddenly worsened” and fighting has moved into the capital city.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise offensive against the capital last week, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war.

Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

In recent years, the country has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.

Fayez Sarraj, head of government in Tripoli, accused Mr Hifter of “betraying” him.

“We have extended our hands towards peace, but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Hifter and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital … he will find nothing but strength and firmness,” Mr Sarraj said Saturday in televised comments.

Mr Sarraj and Mr Hifter held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, when they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the UN.

Mr Hifter is seeking to capture the capital and seize military control of the whole country before UN-sponsored talks due to start next week that were designed to set a time frame for possible elections in the oil-rich country.

The UN envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the UN is determined to hold the planned conference.

Fighting was under way Sunday at the international airport, some 15 miles from central Tripoli, after Mr Hifter claimed to have seized the area.

The airport was destroyed in a previous bout of militia fighting in 2014.

Mr Hifter said his forces had launched airstrikes targeting rival militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.

The rival militias, which are affiliated with a UN-backed government in Tripoli, said they had also carried out airstrikes, slowing Mr Hifter’s advance.

Armed groups behind the UN-backed government of national accord, or GNA, have announced an effort to defend Tripoli, vowing to recapture all areas seized by Mr Hifter’s forces.

Colonel Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for GNA forces, said in televised comments Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed Volcano Of Anger, was aimed at “purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces”.

The two sides reported that at least 35 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.

The Health Ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least 21 people, including a physician, were killed and at least 27 wounded.

Ahmed al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Mr Hifter’s forces, said on Saturday that 14 troops had been killed since the offensive began.

The fighting has displaced hundreds of people, the UN migration agency said.

The UN mission to Libya called for a two-hour ceasefire on Sunday in parts of Tripoli to evacuate civilians and the wounded.

The LNA is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia.

It answers to the authorities based in eastern Libya, who are at odds with the UN-backed government.
The Government of National Accord in Tripoli formally announces the start of a counteroffensive to reclaim all parts of the capital held by the Libyan National Army.