MOSCOW, November 25 (Sputnik) — Mitiga, the Libyan last functioning commercial airport in Tripoli has been attacked for the second time by the Libyan air force as internal strife in the country is increasing.
"An armed group loyal to Libya's internationally-recognized government, which has transferred to the east of the country, claimed responsibility for the air strikes," Reuters reported.
Tripoli's self-proclaimed government reported that the second airstrike did not destroy the airport, adding that the attacks had only damaged several civilian homes in the area.
"We bombed the airport a second time," said Saqer al-Joroushi, the head of the air force for the group led by ex-general Khalifa Haftar, adding that Mitiga has been used "for military purposes" by their rivals in Tripoli.
Omar al-Hassi, the prime minister of Libya's self-proclaimed government denounced the air strikes as "a "provocative" move by foreign-backed forces," the BBC points out. He added that although his government "had been open to dialog" with his opponents, now it would conduct "a policy of war."
"We are now facing an enemy that has a lot of weapons and has support from regional powers and unfortunately elsewhere in the world who are providing them with weapons and experts," Omar al-Hassi said as quoted by the BBC.
Salah al-Berki, the Islamist militia coalition commander ordered "the revolutionaries in Tripoli to maintain all their positions in their bases," the media outlet notes. He emphasized that ex-general Khalifa Haftar's forces, "backed by foreign governments," would be met "with an iron fist."
