The air traffic in Tripoli was suspended overnight for "security reasons," as Libya's unity government battled to push back a rival group's offensive. Over 30,000 people have been displaced due to the latest fighting.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Turkia
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Authorities in Tripoli said Sunday that the only functional airport in the Libyan capital has been reopened after it was temporarily shut down due to an air strike in the city.
Clashes between forces backing the country's unity government and strongman Khalifa Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) have intensified in Tripoli.
Galvanized by victories in the country's eastern and southern parts, Haftar launched an offensive earlier this month to seize the capital from the UN-recognized administration of Fayez al-Sarraj.
Mitiga airport, which was a former military airbase, was hit by an air strike on April 8 and has since only operated between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. local time.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 227 people have been killed and 1,128 injured since the launch of Haftar's offensive.
More than 30,000 people have been displaced since the start of the fighting earlier this month, said the WHO.
On Friday, the White House said US President Donald Trump had called Haftar earlier in the week to acknowledge "Field Marshal Haftar's significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libya's oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libya's transition to a stable, democratic political system."
The call came amid efforts by the UN to broker a ceasefire. On Thursday, the US and Russia opposed a UN ceasefire bid that was backed by the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
Libya has been in political turmoil since the ouster and killing of long-time dictator Moammar Ghadafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.
As well as the rivalry between the GNA and the LNA, a myriad of militia have vied for control of key cities, alongside periodic jihadi activity.
Libya's rocky path to democracy
When Libya's former leader Moammar Gadhafi was toppled from power, many were optimistic that big changes were in store for the country. Six years later, the country is still in turmoil.
Image: Reuters/R. Casilli
Ousted after decades
For more than 40 years, Moammar Gadhafi was the eccentric strongman in power in Libya. He was known for his odd behavior - and for his regime's ties to international terror groups. Libya was one of the countries swept up by the Arab Spring, and protests eventually turned into a civil war. Gadhafi fled but was eventually captured and killed In October, 2011.
Image: AP
Chance for peace
After Gadhafi fell, the eyes of the world were on Libya in the hope that the country would have a smooth transition to democracy. By July 2012, democratic parliamentary elections had taken place, but it proved to be a challenge for the country's politicians to form a coalition and compromise on issues that would bring further stability.
Image: AP
Militias gaining strength
Another problem facing Libya in the post-Gadhafi era was the rise of violent militias. While various armed groups did band together to topple the dictator, they did not have a common cause to rally around after his death. Instead, they fought each other. Terrorist groups were also on the rise in Libya, and staged a deadly attack on the US embassy in Benghazi on September 11, 2012.
Image: Reuters
Deeply divided
Political divisions became deeper in the years following Gadhafi's ouster. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) is the internationally-recognized authority in Libya, but several factions on the ground are claiming a hold on power. Jihadist groups including the so-called 'Islamic State' have gained a significant foothold in the country, making any progress precarious.
Image: picture alliance/Xinhua/H. Turkia
Shifting sands
At present, the Tripoli-based GNA controls parts of western and central Libya while Haftar's Libyan National Army holds much of the northeast. However, areas of power are constantly shifting due to ongoing "Islamic State" violence and the country's many different smaller factions.
Looking for help
In recent weeks, Libya has reached out to NATO for assistance in strengthening the country's security institutions in an effort to end the power struggle between competing governments and militias. Leaders of two of the biggest groups - the GNA and the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army LNA - called for an end to the political and economic crises in the country.
