The UN chief warned Libya is on the brink of “a very dangerous situation” as forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and a rival strongman battle for control of the capital.

Thousands of people have fled heavy fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli that has left dozens dead and prompted mounting global alarm.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appealed for a halt to hostilities to prevent the situation spiralling out of control.

“It’s still time to stop,” he told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council in a closed session in New York.

“It’s still time for a ceasefire to take place, for a cessation of hostilities to take place, and to avoid the worst, which would be a dramatic, bloody battle for Tripoli.”

Nearly a week of fighting on the city’s doorstep has already killed 56 people and wounded 266, the World Health Organization said.

“Thousands of people have fled their homes, while others are trapped in conflict areas. Hospitals inside and outside (Tripoli) are receiving daily casualties,” it said.

The UN chief was in Libya when forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Hafta last week launched an offensive to capture the capital, which is controlled by a UN-backed government and an array of militias.

Haftar backs a rival administration based in eastern Libya that refuses to recognise the authority of the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj.

Guterres said Libya was facing a “very dangerous situation” and urged a halt to the fighting to allow political negotiations to start anew.

“It is very clear for me that we need to restart a serious political dialogue and a serious political negotiation but it is obvious that cannot take place without a full stop to the hostilities,” he said.

The council met for more than two hours behind closed doors to consider how to address the fresh fighting that has derailed efforts to end instability that has been exploited by jihadists and people-smugglers.

The United Nations postponed a national conference that was to open on Sunday to draw up a roadmap to elections, meant to turn the page on years of turmoil since the NATO-backed overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Heavy clashes shook Ain Zara, a town dotted with farms on the southeastern outskirts of Tripoli where pro-GNA fighters managed to reverse an advance by Haftar’s forces.

On the town’s main street, lined with shops and houses, a sand barrier erected by pro-GNA forces separated the two camps.

“Today, the criminals of Haftar’s group have advanced, but we destroyed a tank and two armoured vehicles,” said a pro-GNA fighter who gave his name as Youssef.

Behind him, artillery fire stirred up a cloud of sand as the sound of machine guns and anti-aircraft guns rang out.

Suddenly a shell sliced through the air and hit a nearby house.

“You see, he (Haftar) wants to destroy our houses and all of Tripoli,” one of the fighters shouted.

Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls swathes of the country’s east, said on Wednesday it had seized a barracks in the Aziziya area around 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of Tripoli after “ferocious clashes”.

It said several fighters loyal to the UN-backed government had been detained and their weapons seized.

“For the moment, it’s still a game of cat and mouse,” said a commander from a pro-GNA group.

Heavy arms fire was heard from the front line about 10 kilometres (six miles) away where the city’s disused international airport has changed hands several times over the past week.

Haftar’s forces appear to be advancing on two fronts, from the south and southeast of Tripoli, while coast roads to the east and west of the city are defended by fighters loyal to the GNA.

The strongman, whose key allies are the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia, is a former Kadhafi military chief who has emerged as a major player in Libya’s political struggle.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was “deeply concerned by the situation in Libya.”

“The current military operation and advance on Tripoli are increasing the suffering of the Libyan people and putting civilian lives at risk,” he said.

The UN children’s agency (UNICEF) said “nearly half a million children in Tripoli and tens of thousands more in the western areas are at a direct risk due to the intensification of fighting”.

“If unleashed, a full-fledged offensive could become a proxy war between regional powers and cause innumerable casualties as well as immense devastation,” it said.</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>TRIPOLI - The UN chief warned Libya is on the brink of “a very dangerous situation” as forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and a rival strongman battle for control of the capital.

Thousands of people have fled heavy fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli that has left dozens dead and prompted mounting global alarm.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appealed for a halt to hostilities to prevent the situation spiralling out of control.

“It’s still time to stop,” he told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council in a closed session in New York.

“It’s still time for a ceasefire to take place, for a cessation of hostilities to take place, and to avoid the worst, which would be a dramatic, bloody battle for Tripoli.”

Nearly a week of fighting on the city’s doorstep has already killed 56 people and wounded 266, the World Health Organisation said.

“Thousands of people have fled their homes, while others are trapped in conflict areas. Hospitals inside and outside (Tripoli) are receiving daily casualties,” it said.

The UN chief was in Libya when forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar last week launched an offensive to capture the capital, which is controlled by an UN-backed government and an array of militias.

Haftar backs a rival administration based in eastern Libya that refuses to recognise the authority of the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj.

Guterres said Libya was facing a “very dangerous situation” and urged a halt to the fighting to allow political negotiations to start anew.

“It is very clear for me that we need to restart a serious political dialogue and a serious political negotiation, but it is obvious that cannot take place without a full stop to the hostilities,” he said.

The council met for more than two hours behind closed doors to consider how to address the fresh fighting that has derailed efforts to end instability that has been exploited by jihadists and people-smugglers.

The United Nations postponed a national conference that was to open on Sunday to draw up a roadmap to elections, meant to turn the page on years of turmoil since the Nato-backed overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Heavy clashes shook Ain Zara, a town dotted with farms on the southeastern outskirts of Tripoli where pro-GNA fighters managed to reverse an advance by Haftar’s forces.

On the town’s main street, lined with shops and houses, a sand barrier erected by pro-GNA forces separated the two camps.

“Today, the criminals of Haftar’s group have advanced, but we destroyed a tank and two armoured vehicles,” said a pro-GNA fighter who gave his name as Youssef.

“The situation is good now,” he said.

Behind him, artillery fire stirred up a cloud of sand as the sound of machine guns and anti-aircraft guns rang out.

Suddenly a shell sliced through the air and hit a nearby house.

“You see, he (Haftar) wants to destroy our houses and all of Tripoli,” one of the fighters shouted.

Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls swathes of the country’s east, said on Wednesday it had seized a barracks in the Aziziya area around 50 kilometres south of Tripoli after “ferocious clashes”.

It said several fighters loyal to the UN-backed government had been detained and their weapons seized.

“For the moment, it’s still a game of cat and mouse,” said a commander from a pro-GNA group.

“We’re still organising ourselves. The war hasn’t truly started,” he told AFP in Ain Zara.

Heavy arms fire was heard from the front line about 10 kilometres away from where the city’s disused international airport has changed hands several times over the past week.

Haftar’s forces appear to be advancing on two fronts, from the south and southeast of Tripoli, while coast roads to the east and west of the city are defended by fighters loyal to the GNA.

The strongman, whose key allies are the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia, is a former Gaddafi military chief who has emerged as a major player in Libya’s political struggle.

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was “deeply concerned by the situation in Libya.”

“The current military operation and advance on Tripoli are increasing the suffering of the Libyan people and putting civilian lives at risk,” he said.

The UN children’s agency (Unicef) said: “nearly half a million children in Tripoli and tens of thousands more in the western areas are at a direct risk due to the intensification of fighting”.

Although casualties remain limited so far, the International Crisis Group warned further escalation “could precipitate a humanitarian disaster”.

“If unleashed, a full-fledged offensive could become a proxy war between regional powers and cause innumerable casualties as well as immense devastation,” it said.</s>TRIPOLI - The UN chief warned Libya is on the brink of "a very dangerous situation" as forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and a rival commander battle for control of the capital.

Thousands of people have fled heavy fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli that has left dozens dead and prompted mounting global alarm.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appealed for a halt to hostilities to prevent the situation spiralling out of control.

"It's still time to stop," he told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council in a closed session in New York.

"It's still time for a ceasefire to take place, for a cessation of hostilities to take place, and to avoid the worst, which would be a dramatic, bloody battle for Tripoli."

Nearly a week of fighting on the city's doorstep has already killed 56 people and wounded 266, the World Health Organisation said.

"Thousands of people have fled their homes, while others are trapped in conflict areas. Hospitals inside and outside (Tripoli) are receiving daily casualties," it said.

The UN chief was in Libya when forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar last week launched an offensive to capture the capital, which is controlled by a UN-backed government and an array of militias.

Haftar backs a rival administration based in eastern Libya that refuses to recognise the authority of the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj.

The Security Council met for more than two hours behind closed doors to consider how to address the fresh fighting that has derailed efforts to end instability that has been exploited by jihadists and people-smugglers.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the situation in Libya was "increasingly worrying".

She called for the "full implementation of the humanitarian truce" and the "return to the political negotiations and the political track".

The United Nations postponed a national conference that was to open on Sunday to draw up a roadmap to elections, meant to turn the page on years of turmoil since the NATO-backed overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Heavy clashes shook Ain Zara, a town dotted with farms on the southeastern outskirts of Tripoli where pro-GNA fighters managed to reverse an advance by Haftar's forces.

On the town's main street, lined with shops and houses, a sand barrier erected by pro-GNA forces separated the two camps.

"Today, the criminals of Haftar's group have advanced, but we destroyed a tank and two armoured vehicles," said a pro-GNA fighter who gave his name as Youssef.

"The situation is good now," he said.

Behind him, artillery fire stirred up a cloud of sand as the sound of machine guns and anti-aircraft guns rang out.

Suddenly a shell sliced through the air and hit a nearby house.

"You see, he (Haftar) wants to destroy our houses and all of Tripoli," one of the fighters shouted.

The GNA took journalists to a prison in the area, where director Ayad Enjem said "75 combatants" of Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army had been detained since Friday.

"Several are younger than 16 years old" said Enjem, as representatives from a UN agency interviewed the prisoners.

One detainee told AFP he was 16 and had been recruited recently in Sabratha, to the west of Tripoli.

Haftar's forces, which control swathes of the country's east, said on Wednesday they had seized a barracks in the Aziziya area around 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Tripoli after "ferocious clashes".

They said several fighters loyal to the UN-backed government had been detained and their weapons seized.

"For the moment, it's still a game of cat and mouse," a commander from a pro-GNA group said Wednesday.

"We're still organising ourselves. The war hasn't truly started," he told AFP in Ain Zara.

Haftar's forces appear to be advancing on two fronts, from the south and southeast of Tripoli, while coastal roads to the east and west of the city are defended by fighters loyal to the GNA.

The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia are key allies of Haftar, a former Kadhafi military chief who has emerged as a major player in Libya's political struggle.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday the alliance was "deeply concerned by the situation in Libya."

"The current military operation and advance on Tripoli are increasing the suffering of the Libyan people and putting civilian lives at risk," he said.

Although casualties remain limited so far, the International Crisis Group warned further escalation "could precipitate a humanitarian disaster".

"If unleashed, a full-fledged offensive could become a proxy war between regional powers and cause innumerable casualties as well as immense devastation," the think tank said.</s>The UN chief warned Libya is on the brink of "a very dangerous situation" as forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and a rival strongman battle for control of the capital.

Thousands of people have fled heavy fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli that has left dozens dead and prompted mounting global alarm.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appealed for a halt to hostilities to prevent the situation spiralling out of control.

"It's still time to stop," he told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council in a closed session in New York.

"It's still time for a ceasefire to take place, for a cessation of hostilities to take place, and to avoid the worst, which would be a dramatic, bloody battle for Tripoli."

Nearly a week of fighting on the city's doorstep has already killed 56 people and wounded 266, the World Health Organization said.

"Thousands of people have fled their homes, while others are trapped in conflict areas. Hospitals inside and outside (Tripoli) are receiving daily casualties," it said.

The UN chief was in Libya when forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Hafta last week launched an offensive to capture the capital, which is controlled by a UN-backed government and an array of militias.

Haftar backs a rival administration based in eastern Libya that refuses to recognise the authority of the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj.

Guterres said Libya was facing a "very dangerous situation" and urged a halt to the fighting to allow political negotiations to start anew.

"It is very clear for me that we need to restart a serious political dialogue and a serious political negotiation but it is obvious that cannot take place without a full stop to the hostilities," he said.

The council met for more than two hours behind closed doors to consider how to address the fresh fighting that has derailed efforts to end instability that has been exploited by jihadists and people-smugglers.

The United Nations postponed a national conference that was to open on Sunday to draw up a roadmap to elections, meant to turn the page on years of turmoil since the NATO-backed overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Heavy clashes shook Ain Zara, a town dotted with farms on the southeastern outskirts of Tripoli where pro-GNA fighters managed to reverse an advance by Haftar's forces.

On the town's main street, lined with shops and houses, a sand barrier erected by pro-GNA forces separated the two camps.

"Today, the criminals of Haftar's group have advanced, but we destroyed a tank and two armoured vehicles," said a pro-GNA fighter who gave his name as Youssef.

"The situation is good now," he said.

Behind him, artillery fire stirred up a cloud of sand as the sound of machine guns and anti-aircraft guns rang out.

Suddenly a shell sliced through the air and hit a nearby house.

"You see, he (Haftar) wants to destroy our houses and all of Tripoli," one of the fighters shouted.

Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls swathes of the country's east, said on Wednesday it had seized a barracks in the Aziziya area around 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of Tripoli after "ferocious clashes".

It said several fighters loyal to the UN-backed government had been detained and their weapons seized.

"For the moment, it's still a game of cat and mouse," said a commander from a pro-GNA group.

"We're still organising ourselves. The war hasn't truly started," he told AFP in Ain Zara.

Heavy arms fire was heard from the front line about 10 kilometres (six miles) away where the city's disused international airport has changed hands several times over the past week.

Haftar's forces appear to be advancing on two fronts, from the south and southeast of Tripoli, while coast roads to the east and west of the city are defended by fighters loyal to the GNA.

The strongman, whose key allies are the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia, is a former Kadhafi military chief who has emerged as a major player in Libya's political struggle.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was "deeply concerned by the situation in Libya."

"The current military operation and advance on Tripoli are increasing the suffering of the Libyan people and putting civilian lives at risk," he said.

The UN children's agency (UNICEF) said "nearly half a million children in Tripoli and tens of thousands more in the western areas are at a direct risk due to the intensification of fighting".

Although casualties remain limited so far, the International Crisis Group warned further escalation "could precipitate a humanitarian disaster".

"If unleashed, a full-fledged offensive could become a proxy war between regional powers and cause innumerable casualties as well as immense devastation," it said.</s>General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army claims to have shot down a military airplane belonging to the Tripoli-based government of national accord (GNA) that took off from Misrata.

LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari told reporters about the incident during a press briefing on Wednesday. He did not specify the type of the plane, just that it had taken off from the GNA-controlled Misrata and was shot down over Tripoli.

Unconfirmed reports indicate it was an Aero L-39 Albatros, a Czech-made training jet often used in a ground attack role.

Haftar’s forces control almost 80 percent of Libya, and last week moved against militias supporting the GNA in the west of the country, calling them “illegal armed groups.”

As LNA troops advanced, the remaining US forces in Libya pulled out from Tripoli. There were conflicting reports of checkpoints taken and lost, as well as air strikes by both sides in the area.

Also on rt.com NATO bombing? How Libya's conflict can be resolved

Clashes have resulted in the cancellation of a UN-sponsored peace conference, which sought to negotiate a power-sharing arrangement between the LNA and the internationally recognized GNA of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, which controls less than 8 percent of Libya’s territory.

Once the most prosperous country in Africa, Libya lapsed into chaos and civil war in 2011, when NATO backed Islamist rebels in overthrowing and brutally murdering the country’s long-time ruler, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!</s>Libya has been in a state of the constant chaos since the NATO intervention in 2011. After the fall of the government of Muammar Gaddafi, the country fell into the hands of warrying armed factions, many of which were linked to radical Islamist groups. Al-Qaeda and then ISIS strengthened and expanded their presence in the country. The erupted humanitarian crisis has never been fully overcome. A high level of violence, crime and unsolved humanitarian issues turned Libya in one of the key hubs of arms, drugs and even trafficking. A large number of the refugees moving to Europe uses Libya as a transfer point.

NATO contributed very little efforts to change this situation, defeat terrorism and restore the order. One of the reasons is that the Western-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli, is itself largely linked to radicals. Groups that declared their support to the GNA control a part of northwestern Libya. The only real anti-terror effort undertaken by pro-GNA forces and their foreign backers took place in 2016, when they moved to chuck ISIS out of the coastal city of Sirte. Despite this, ISIS cells kept a notable presence in the county. The GNA receives support from the US, various EU states, Qatar and Turkey.

The southwestern part of the country is controlled by local Tuareg and Tabu militias. Central, northeastern and southeastern Libya is in the hands of the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the allied to it House of Representatives based in the city of Torbuk.

Over the past few years, the LNA under the leadership of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar has consolidated control over a major part of the country, sometimes by forming pacts and alliances with local communities like in the south and sometimes by defeating radical militant groups by force. The LNA has also carried out a successful operation against militant and criminal groups in southern Libya. This effort was officially coordinated with the governments of Niger and Chad. Egypt, the UAE and France are often mentioned as the LNA backers. An interesting fact is that wilde media speculations about Russian mercenaries, Special Forces and, if we take into account the British mainstream media, even military bases allegedly deployed and created to support the LNA are barely linked with the reality on the ground. The real Kremlin involvement in the conflict has so far been mostly limited to diplomatic contacts with representatives of at least formally constructive local forces.

On April 4, Field Marshal Haftar officially announced a start of counter-terrorism operation in the area of Tripoli. In the following days, the LNA has made a series of advances capturing large areas south of the city, including Tripoli International Airport, and reached the vicinity of the city. According to local sources, over 40 people were killed or injured in clashes between the LNA and pro-GNA forces. The sides even employed their existing air forces in order to deliver strikes each against other.

However, a coalition of pro-GNA forces, which includes the al-Nuasi Brigade, the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade, the Special Deterrence Force, the al-Mahjub Brigade, the 33rd Infantry Brigade, the Abu Obeida al-Zawia Forces, the al-Halbus Brigade and the Usama al-Juwayli Forces, appeared to be able showing some resistance to the LNA only when Haftar-led forces reached the city’s vicinity.

On April 7, the U.S. Army Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced that it had evacuated its troops from the Libyan capital “in response to the evolving security situation” there. This means that Washington expects clashes in the city itself.

The LNA claims that its move to capture Tripoli is not a part of political struggle, but an operation against terrorists who are hiding there. Nonetheless, it’s clear that the LNA advance is another move made in the framework of the previous LNA attempts to put an end to the division of the country into feods controlled by local warlords and to consolidate the governmental power, including the right of use of force, in one hands. In the event of success, it will allow to restore a kind of order in the major part of he country and to crack down on local militant and criminal armed groups that operate freely in the existing power vacuum.

On the other hand, the LNA advance faced a wide criticism on the international level. Foreign powers use the collapse of Libya to exploit its territory and energy resources in own favor are opposing the LNA actions under the banner of the need to defend democracy and prevent humanitarian crisis.

In the event of their success the humanitarian and security situation in Libya will likely continue to deteriorate creating a room for the further expansion of radical groups, first of all ISIS and al-Qaeda, in and contributing to the continuing flow of migrants to Europe.</s>The Libyan Government of National Accord's (GNA) Presidential Council condemned the Libyan National Army's (LNA) airstrikes on the Mitiga Airport in Tripoli describing them as a war crime."The Presidential Council is strongly condemning the airstrikes on the Mitiga International Airport by forces of [LNA commander] Khalifa Haftar [...] The council regards this attack as a war crime and a crime against humanity, which is violating all national laws and international agreements and which made sending ill and wounded people to hospitals impossible at this difficult moment", the council said on late Monday in a statement obtained by Sputnik.Video:The council added that the GNA had taken all the measures to hold those responsible for the airstrikes on the Mitiga Airport to account.On Monday, the GNA accused the LNA of striking the Mitiga airport, which is located about eight kilometers (5 miles) east of Tripoli's city center, saying that the attack threatened the lives of civilians and the safety of flights.For years, Libya has been split between the two governments: the eastern part of the country is controlled by the parliament elected in 2014 and backed by the LNA, while the UN-backed Tripoli-based GNA governs Libya's western parts.On Thursday, Haftar ordered an offensive to retake Tripoli from the GNA-backed forces. The LNA has already recaptured a number of settlements on its way to the capital, including the Tripoli International Airport, located around 20 miles away from the capital. The forces loyal to the GNA announced a counteroffensive on Sunday, dubbed Volcano of Rage, to repel the National Army.</s>General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army claims to have shot down a military airplane belonging to the Tripoli-based government of national accord (GNA) that took off from Misrata.LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari told reporters about the incident during a press briefing on Wednesday. He did not specify the type of the plane, just that it had taken off from the GNA-controlled Misrata and was shot down over Tripoli.Unconfirmed reports indicate it was an Aero L-39 Albatros, a Czech-made training jet often used in a ground attack role.As LNA troops advanced, the remaining US forces in Libya pulled out from Tripoli. There were conflicting reports of checkpoints taken and lost, as well as air strikes by both sides in the area.Once the most prosperous country in Africa, Libya lapsed into chaos and civil war in 2011, when NATO backed Islamist rebels in overthrowing and brutally murdering the country's long-time ruler, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.</s>US-led NATO aggression raped and destroyed Libya, transforming Africa’s most developed nation into a cauldron of endless violence, chaos and human misery – what happens virtually wherever US forces show up.

In 2011, Libya was terror-bombed and attacked on the ground to destroy its sovereignty, plunder its oil wealth, privatize the world’s largest aquifer system, dollarize the country, exploit its people, and establish pro-Western puppet rule.

Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and sodomized to death for supporting pan-Africanism, a United States of Africa free from imperial dominance, and Libyans sharing in the country’s oil wealth, a notion anathema to the US and its imperial partners.

Libya today is a dystopian failed state. Dozens of rival factions vie for control, including US-supported ISIS, al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

Two main ones are the UN-backed Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Tobruck-based Libyan National Army (LNA), led by CIA asset Khalifa Haftar.

The US and Britain nominally support the GNA. France, Israel, the Saudis, UAE, and Egypt back Haftar. Much of the country is lawless, territory bordering Algeria, Niger, Chad and Sudan a haven for terrorists and other armed groups.

In January, Haftar’s forces launched an offensive to purge what he called the “south(’s) terrorists and criminal gangs.”

Days earlier, his forces began advancing on Tripoli in the West, aiming to defeat the Fayez al-Sarraj-led GNA, calling on area resident to lay down their arms and surrender. He seized control of nearby areas and Tripoli’s international airport.

Declaring a state of emergency, GNA forces mobilized to combat his troops. Hafter issued a statement saying he expects the conflict to be resolved by around mid-April – as soon as a new national unity government is formed he seeks control over.

On Sunday, his forces bombed a Tripoli suburb where LNA troops are defending the city. According to GNA Colonel Mohamed Gnounou, a counteroffensive dubbed “Volcano of Anger” was launched to combat his advance on the city.

On Saturday, the GNA launched air attacks on his forces around 30 miles south of Tripoli. The UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called for a two-hour humanitarian truce to evacuate wounded combatants and civilians wanting to leave the city.

Dozens have been killed, many others injured since Haftar’s offensive was launched. On Sunday, a Pentagon statement said “(d)ue to increased unrest in Libya (it’s responsible for, along with France and Britain), a contingent of US forces” are being “temporarily relocated from the country…”

US troops in Libya have nothing to do with “support(ing) diplomatic missions, counterterrorism activities, enhancing partnerships and improving security across the region” – everything to do with advancing Washington’s imperium

He warned of “war without winners” if things aren’t resolved diplomatically. Talks between both leaders were held in late February, failing to resolve differences.

The “UN and world community ha(ve) doubled down on (an upcoming national) conference…(un)swayed by violence and spoilers” like Haftar.

International players differ on Libya, some Western and regional states supporting the GNA, others for the LNA.

After meeting with Haftar on Thursday, UN Secretary General Guterres warned of a “bloody confrontation.”

On Friday, G7 foreign ministers called on parties involved in the conflict to “halt all military activity and movements toward Tripoli, which are hindering prospects for the UN-led political process, putting civilians in danger, and prolonging the suffering of the Libyan people” they don’t give a hoot about.

If otherwise Britain, France, and other NATO nations wouldn’t have partnered with the Obama regime’s 2011 aggression in Libya.

It’s the root cause behind endless violence and chaos in the country for over eight years, including the ongoing GNA/LNA conflict, showing no signs of resolution so far.

On Sunday, an unnamed “top Libyan military source” told Sputnik News that LNA forces failed to heed UNSMIL’s call for a temporary ceasefire so wounded combatants and civilians could leave Tripoli.

His warplanes bombed the city, more likely to come if the world community doesn’t intervene to halt fighting.

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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
The Libyan National Army says it has shot down a pro-GNA L-39 Albatros over Tripoli.