GNA repels attack as Haftar’s forces make push for Tripoli’s old airport

Intense fighting raged between forces loyal to Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) and forces loyal to Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar on the outskirts of Tripoli on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, LNA forces made a new push for Tripoli’s old airport. The GNA reportedly repelled the LNA’s attack on Airport Road as well as the Naqliyah and Yarmouk camps in southern Tripoli.

The LNA, which controls eastern Libya, is seeking to win territory from the UN-backed GNA, whose capital is Tripoli. The country has been split between the two rival governments since 2014.

According to the UN, the battle for Tripoli has claimed the lives of at least 510 people and displaced more than 82,000 people.