Libya: Heavy artillery heard in Tripoli amid offensive

TRIPOLI, Libya

The sound of heavy artillery ranged in southern Tripoli on Wednesday amid an offensive by eastern Libyan forces on the capital.

A local source said mortar shells struck Salahuddin neighborhood in southern Tripoli, causing material damage.

No injuries were reported.

The artillery shelling came shortly after forces aligned with East Libya-based commander Khalifa Haftar fired a barrage of rockets on residential areas in Tripoli, according to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

Meanwhile, GNA forces said they had destroyed a Haftar's vehicle loaded with ammunition in Yarmouk district, south of Tripoli.

In April, Haftar's forces launched a military campaign to capture Tripoli from the internationally recognized government, but have so far failed to progress beyond the city’s outskirts.

However, on Dec. 12, Haftar announced that he had ordered his militants to launch a “decisive battle” to capture the capital.

According to UN data, more than 1,000 people have been killed since the start of the operation and more than 5,000 injured.

Since the ouster of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: one in eastern Libya supported mainly by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara