4 killed, 17 injured in shellings of residentiel areas in Tripoli

18 Avril 2020

Tripoli, Libya, April 18 (Infosplusgabon)  -  At least four people were killed and 17 others wounded after intensified shelling on Friday on several residential areas of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, health and military sources said.

The "Volcano of Wrath" military operation  announced the death of the son of the former chief of staff, Major General Abderrahman al-Tawil, after Grad rockets were fired by Haftar's forces near a camp for displaced people in the al-Fournaj region, east of Tripoli.

According to a post of the military operation affiliated with the Government of National Accord on Twitter, the shelling also injured two policemen.

In addition, districts such as al-Kraimiya, Souk al-Jumaa, Tarik al-Chowk, al-Hadba al-Badri, Maitigua airport and its surroundings were targeted by shelling and rocket fire on Friday, illustrating the continuing military escalation in the Tripoli war, which continued uninterrupted.

The spokesperson for the government of national accord forces, Colonel Mohamed Ganounou, also said the air force targeted a convoy of armed vehicles and a grouping of Haftar forces at the Al-Wattia air base in the (southwest Friday evening.

Major General Ahmed Al-Mesmari, spokesperson for the Libyan National Army forces led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, announced that his forces shot down a Turkish-made drone over the al-Kassarat area on Friday before it began a strike against their positions.

He added in a statement that Libyan National Army forces targeted with a strike groupings of government forces along the al-Heira/al-Aziziya axis, south of the capital, Tripoli.

This military escalation continues despite calls for Libyan warring parties to observe a humanitarian truce to better combat the coronavirus epidemic in Libya, which has recorded 49 infections.

The COVID-19 pandemic has diverted the world's attention from Libya, leading to intensified fighting in this North African country.

For example, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is having difficulty appointing a new Special Representative after the withdrawal of former Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtan Lamamra, who justified his decision by the lack of unanimity around his choice.

This situation is likely to further perpetuate the deadlock in the political process in Libya.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/BRD/GABON2020

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