An airstrike on a biscuit factory killed at least ten workers and left 35 wounded in a southern suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Monday, reported Reuters.
Usama Ali, a spokesman for the ambulance and emergency authority in Tripoli, confirmed two Libyans and five foreigners from Bangladesh and sub-Saharan African countries were killed in the airstrike in Wadi Rabea district, about 21 km (13 miles) from the city center. As per reports, hundreds of workers were inside the factory when it was hit.
The Libyan National Army, the forces loyal to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has been fighting with forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord for Tripoli since April. Both sides have been using drones and fighter jets to carry out air strikes amid sporadic fighting.
On Facebook, pro-GNA forces have claimed that the airstrike was carried out by Haftar’s forces using drones made in the United Arab Emirates. Notably, Haftar is backed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE, while the United Nations-recognized GNA has got support from Turkey and Qatar.
According to the United Nations, the battle for Tripoli, which has come to a standstill on the ground after initial advances by Haftar’s forces, has killed more than 1,000 people and displaced about 120,000 others.
Last week, the United States called out Haftar to stop the fight and accused Russia of working to exploit Libya’s latest conflict.
“The United States calls on the ‘Libyan National Army’ to end its offensive on Tripoli,” a joint statement said after a GNA delegation held talks in Washington.
The statement said that the ceasefire will facilitate US-Libya cooperation to prevent undue foreign interference, reinforce legitimate state authority and address all the issues that led to the conflict.
The U.S. government also underscored support for Libya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s attempts to exploit the conflict against the will of the Libyan people.
