In the latest sign that renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar’s campaign to overthrow the internationally recognized Libyan government is not heading toward an easy victory, armed forces on Thursday attacked an air base in southern Libya under the control of Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA).
After making large gains in the past weeks, Haftar’s push for Tripoli recently stalled, with the LNA failing to advance from positions at 7 miles from the center of the Libyan capital. According to new figures from the United Nations (UN), the recent fighting has already killed 205 people, including 18 civilians, while over 900 people have been injured.
Despite recent setbacks, Haftar seems unlikely to cave in to international calls for a ceasefire because countries like United Arab Emirates, Egypt and France believe he is the most suitable candidate for returning stability to the country for the first time since the overthrow of Gaddafi in 2011.
Read more: Libya death toll rises to 205 as Tripoli fighting continues: WHO
