BENGHAZI
Air forces loyal to Libya's army commander Khalifa Haftar have resumed airstrikes on Islamist militias in the eastern Benghazi city after a one-month hiatus.
The airstrikes, launched late Monday, targeted several sites belonging to Islamist umbrella group, known as the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, and its subcomponent Ansar Al-Sharia militant group, according to a Libyan military official.
"Some airstrikes targeted hideouts belonging to Ansar Al-Sharia in Al-Leithi area which have been besieged by military forces for months," the official, requesting anonymity, told The Anadolu Agency.
The airstrikes came one day following fierce clashes in Al-Leithi between forces loyal to Haftar – who had recently been endorsed by the Tobruk-based government - and Islamist militants.
The clashes' fatalities involved nine army personnel and seven civilians, the latter of whom were killed due to random shells hitting their homes, a Libyan official had told AA.
Libya has remained in a state of turmoil since the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi regime in 2011. Rival militias have frequently clashed in Libya's main cities, including capital Tripoli and the eastern city of Benghazi.
Political divisions have yielded two rival seats of government in the country, each of which has its own institutions.
Vying for legislative authority are the internationally-backed House of Representatives, which convenes in Tobruk, and the Islamist-led General National Congress, which – even though its mandate has ended – continues to convene in Tripoli.
The two assemblies support two different governments headquartered in the two respective cities as well as two military entities.
While the House has the support of much of the Libyan army and troops loyal to Haftar, the Congress is backed by Islamist militias which helped topple Gaddafi in 2011.
Haftar, a former army commander, launched a campaign against Islamist militias in Benghazi in the spring of last year.
