A statement, published by the GNA on its Twitter page, reads: "The Government of National Accord is boosting defense capabilities of Tripoli with armored vehicles, ammunition and various weapons as part of preparations for a broader operation on liquidation of insurgents… [headed by] Haftar."
On April 4, Haftar’s LNA backed by the parliament ruling the country's eastern part, announced an offensive against Tripoli in a bid to drive what he called terrorist forces out of the city. In response, the armed forces loyal to the Tripoli-based GNA started a military operation against the LNA, dubbed the Volcano of Rage.
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Libya has been suffering from unrest since 2011, when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed. Since then the country has been divided between two rival governments, with an elected parliament governing the country's east, and the UN- and EU-backed GNA ruling in the western part of the country.