Haftar’s forces push toward Tripoli’s center, clashes reported in Libyan capital

Heavy clashes are slowly nearing the center of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, AP reported, citing an official and residents, as military commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces battle to seize power.

Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive last month to take Tripoli from militias loosely allied with a UN-supported government.

Saraj al-Majbri, an aid to the LNA’s chief of staff, said on Monday its forces had made gains in the area of Salah al-Deen, a few kilometers from the city center.

Residents said heavy fighting was taking place along a strategic road linking the capital with its international airport, which has not been functional since 2014.