MOSCOW, August 23 (RIA Novosti) - Islamist-leaning insurgents in the Libyan capital Tripoli claimed on Saturday they had seized control of the country’s main airport after a month of clashes, Associated Press cited a local television channel as saying.
Official sources in the country are still to comment on this report.
Running battles between Islamist militias and pro-government forces have been erupting around the airfield since July.
According to Sky News Arabia, residential quarters in Tripoli came under a massive air attack overnight that have been blamed on Libya's ex-general Khalifa Haftar, whose air force may have targeted positions of conflicting Zintan and Misrata rebel groups.
Libya’s renegade commander Haftar declared a war on Islamist extremists in the country’s second largest city Benghazi several months ago. Until now, his fighters have only been active in the east of the country.
Libya has been gripped by infighting involving various militias for months, prompting the West to brand it as a failed state after the NATO-backed ouster of Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi.
