Haftar's forces target munitions in Libya's Misrata with airstrikes

Thirteen civilians were injured in airstrikes conducted by eastern Libyan forces in the western city of Misrata, the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said on Tuesday.

The eastern Libyan forces, led by commander Khalifa Haftar, said they carried out airstrikes on the port city of Misrata and targeted ammunition depot in the city.

"Four airstrikes targeted arms depots and successfully hit their goals," Anadolu quoted the statement of the media office of Haftar's forces.

Moreover, the GNA accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supporting Haftar's attack on Tripoli, where the internationally recognized government is based, an accusation denied by Abu Dhabi.

In April, Haftar's forces launched a military campaign to capture Tripoli from the internationally-recognized GNA and the recent airstrikes mark the escalation in the conflict.

In April 2019, Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive in Tripoli in a bid to gain control of Libya's capital. The operation ended UN-led plans to broker a political settlement in Libya.

The east-based army and the government have been fighting in and around Tripoli since early April over the control of the capital. The violence since has killed and injured thousands of people and displaced nearly 120,000 civilians.

Libya has been plagued by political division and escalating violence ever since the fall of the 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.

Haftar enjoys varying levels of support from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Al Jazeera reported.